Uwe Seeler, who led West Germany to the 1966 World Cup final as captain of the national team, has died at the age of 85.
Regarded as one of Germany’s best-ever players, Seeler was famous for his overhead kicks and ability to score goals from the unlikeliest of angles. He was also known for his humility and fairness, and respected for his loyalty to his hometown club, Hamburger SV.
Seeler played for Hamburg from 1952 to 1973, scoring 445 goals in 519 Oberliga and Bundesliga appearances for the team. He remains the club’s record scorer in the Bundesliga with 137 goals.
The forward scored 43 goals in 72 games for West Germany, finishing as runners-up to England at the 1966 World Cup and earning a third-place medal four years later in Mexico. He was part of the national team for 16 years, but was not in the 1974 World Cup-winning squad.
“While I was at four World Cups, I’d have liked to have won the title once. I didn’t have the luck,” Seeler said. “Still, everything was wonderful. I regret nothing.” He was voted German player of the year in 1960, 1964 and 1970.
Seeler won the German title in 1960 and German Cup in 1963 with Hamburg, but he also endured heartbreak with near misses in Europe. Hamburg lost to Barcelona in the European Cup semi-finals in 1961 and to Milan in the Cup Winners’ Cup final in 1968.
The Hamburg club spokesman Christian Pletz said on Thursday that Seeler’s family had confirmed his death. Seeler was married to his wife, Ilka, for more than 60 years. They had three daughters. His grandson, Levin Öztunali, plays for Bundesliga club Union Berlin.