Stefan Kuntz played for many years together with Andreas Brehme at FCK and in the national soccer team. In the SWR interview he remembers his companion.
SWR: Stefan Kuntz, you played with Andreas Brehme in the national team and also at 1. FC Kaiserslautern. How did you find out about Andreas Brehme’s death?
Stefan Kuntz: “Sometimes you think: ‘Okay, he’s a little older, you have to take that into account’. But with Andreas it was extremely surprising. So it somehow hits you even more. Then you immediately start thinking : I admired him just like millions of Germans in 1990 when he scored the penalty. Then we met as teammates at FCK and I’ve never seen a footballer who was really equally strong on the right and left. It didn’t matter to him whether he took a free kick or a penalty with his right or left. That was unimaginable for me. And then of course this mixture of professionalism but also a certain relaxedness on the pitch. That was infectious. For me he was a role model.”
Let’s look again at that magical penalty, 1990, the World Cup final. Afterwards he said: ‘What should I do? Rudi Völler stumbled, Lothar Matthäus didn’t have the right shoes. Someone had to take it.’ Is that typical of him?
“Yes, that’s typical. It’s this positive attitude: ‘Okay, then I’ll do it.’ And not: ‘For God’s sake! What happens if I miss?’ He was able to hit every beer can with his precision. That of course gives you self-confidence and he showed that in that moment.”
And so as a human being?
“Andreas really enjoyed laughing. He was extremely positive and infected others with his positive thinking. It was always fun. And if you have someone around you who likes to laugh and you yourself are one of those people who would rather laugh than cry, then you can imagine that a tear has often fallen. But only because of all the laughter.”
Finally, a legendary quote: “You have shit on your feet, you have shit on your feet.” Also a saying from him.
(Stefan Kuntz laughs) “Yes, I was just going to say: Who else? Who else do you just accept it from, don’t make fun of it, but you know: Okay, that was Andi Brehme. And he’s right. Done.”
Broadcast on Tue, February 20, 2024, 4:00 p.m., The Day in RLP, SWR1 Rhineland-Palatinate
