ZDF expert Kramer wants a child from Béla Réthy – when Mertesacker bawls, everyone freaks out
Created: 12/14/2022, 11:20 p.m
By: Antonio José Riether, Florian Schimak
France versus Morocco was the last game played by commentator legend Béla Réthy.
The ZDF experts Chris Kramer and Per Mertesacker say thank you in their own way.
Mainz – Even if the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup between France and Morocco (2-0) may not have drawn the very last fan in front of the TV sets, in the end it was a very emotional event.
But that was mainly due to Béla Réthy.
Name: Béla-Andreas Réthy |
Birthday: December 14, 1956 (66 years) in Vienna |
Broadcaster: ZDF |
First live report: 1991 |
End of career: December 14, 2022 |
For the commentator legend on ZDF, the 2022 World Cup semi-final between the world champion and the North Africans was the last appearance on the microphone.
On his 66th birthday, the native Hungarian annotated his last big game.
Béla Réthy stops: World Cup semifinals 2022 was his last game
Unforgotten are Réthy's words when the Germans won the European Championship in 1996 thanks to Oliver Bierhoff's golden goal or his "radio moderation" in the 2008 European Championship semi-final between Germany and Turkey, when the power went out in the stadium in Bern and with it the TV picture failed.
The farewell to Réthy could not have been more perfect either, because the legend also happened to comment on the two DFB debuts of today's ZDF experts Chris Kramer (May 13, 2014 against Poland) and Per Mertesacker (October 9, 2004 in Tehran).
It goes without saying that the two world champions from 2014 have a special relationship with Réthy.
ZDF expert Kramer wants a child from Béla Réthy – when Mertesacker bawls, everyone freaks out
Per Mertesacker sang a farewell song to Béla Réthy in the ZDF studio.
© Screenshot ZDF
also read
France is in the World Cup final!
Morocco misses opportunities, Frankfurt star decides game
READ
Béla Réthy goes "Germany on the cookie": private plans after the ZDF farewell are already in place
READ
"Madness", "nonsense": viewers tear up ARD expert Schult after the diversity statement
READ
Farewell to Béla-Réthy: Millions listen to Sandro Wagner's personal request
READ
World Cup expert Kramer makes fun of Mertesacker live on ZDF
READ
Fancy a journey of discovery?
My space
"I often watched it live afterwards because it was a special moment for me, too," reveals Kramer, while Réthy is switched live from Qatar to the studio after the World Cup semifinals: "Nobody could have had that better with their voice can accompany as Béla Réthy.
Yes, if I were a woman I would want a child from him.”
Réthy then reacts with his unmistakable sense of humour.
"I first talked you into the World Cup squad from Brazil (
WM 2014, editor's note
), you weren't even on the list," said the 66-year-old, whereupon Kramer thanked him politely and made an emotional statement afterwards schob: "As a man, I really have to say that I do love Béla Réthy a bit, I grew up with him and associate very, very big events with this voice.
So a thousand thanks for lots of goosebumps.”
Two Schweinis, Ballack, Javi Martinez: These are the World Cup experts in Qatar
View photo gallery
Mertesacker then also gave a special Réthy moment for the best.
"I was also happy that we both commented together again last year at the Champions League final," said the former Arsenal central defender: "Those were great times and you always took everyone with you, in all modesty.
I had no plan of commenting, but you picked me up and dragged me through."
Béla Réthy stops at ZDF: Mertesacker says goodbye to commentator legend with a bawling song
And then all of a sudden there was a mood in the ZDF studio in Mainz: "I thought about how to pay tribute to Béla from the studio and actually wanted to sing a serenade.
'Life begins at the age of 66'" (
Udo Jürgens, editor's note
), says Mertesacker: "But I'll stick to the very simple", before he gets up, claps and bawls: "There is only one Béla Réthy, a Béla Réthy!”
While the whole studio is clapping and cheering, Réthy is seen with tears in his eyes, saying his parting words: "Adieu, all the best and stay healthy.
Ciao, see you.
Bye."
Jochen Breyer ends the whole thing quite simply: "Peppermint tea, then".
You don't need to say more about it.
(smk/ajr)