Andreas Brehme, the winning goal scorer in the 1990 World Cup final in Rome, has died at the age of 63. Brehme died of a heart attack on Tuesday night (February 20, 2024).
His partner Susanne Schaefer confirmed this to the German Press Agency on behalf of his family.
“It is with deep sadness that I announce on behalf of the family that my partner Andreas Brehme died suddenly and unexpectedly tonight as a result of a cardiac arrest. We ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time and refrain from asking questions,” said Schaefer’s message .
Hendrik Lückhoff, Sportschau, February 20, 2024 9:48 a.m
Brehme scored the winning goal with a penalty in the 1990 World Cup final against Argentina to make it 1-0. Just a few weeks after the death of then team boss Franz Beckenbauer, German football lost another key figure from the national team that won Germany’s third World Cup title in 1990. Brehme was one of the outstanding players at the finals in Italy. In the final in Rome he scored the winning goal shortly before the end.
German champion with FCK and FC Bayern
1. FC Kaiserslautern, whose jersey Brehme wore for a total of ten years, expressed its sadness in an initial statement and listed the club’s successes with Brehme, who, among other things, sensationally won the championship title with the Palatinate in 1998 as a promoted team. Brehme later also took over the coaching position at FCK. With his penalty that won the World Cup title in Rome, Brehme “finally became a football legend,” the club wrote.
FC Bayern, where Brehme also won the championship title, also said in an initial statement that they were “deeply shocked” by Brehme’s sudden death. “We will always keep Andreas Brehme in our hearts. As a world champion and even more so as a very special person.”
Brehme also enjoyed great success at Inter Milan, where he became champion (1989) and UEFA Cup winner (1991). Brehme, born in Hamburg, played in a total of three World Cup finals for the national team. In 1986 he was with Germany in the lost final against Argentina.
After his career, the former full-back entered the coaching business, but was unable to build on his success as a player. He coached FCK, SpVgg Unterhaching and was assistant coach at VfB Stuttgart.
Farewell words to Franz Beckenbauer in January
In January, Brehme had touching words about the death of the legend Beckenbauer. “As a little boy, like probably every boy in Germany, I had a Franz Beckenbauer poster hanging over my bed. Later he became my boss and I was allowed to work with him. And in the end we became close friends. That’s why I told Franz a lot to be grateful for.”
