Andreas Brehme, the scorer of the only goal that led West Germany to victory over Argentina in the 1990 World Cup final, passed away at the age of 63.
Brehme's partner, Susanne Schaefer, confirmed his sudden and unexpected death due to a cardiac arrest during the night of February 20, as reported to Germany's dpa news agency.
Tributes have been paid by his former clubs
“Andreas Brehme will forever be in our hearts, as a World Cup winner and, more importantly, as a very special person,” his former club Bayern Munich said on X, formerly Twitter.
"FCK mourns the passing of Andreas Brehme," Football club Kaiserslautern said.
"He wore the Red Devils' shirt for a total of 10 years and became German champion and German Cup winner with FCK."
"In 1990 he fired the German national team to the World Cup title with his penalty and became a football legend. The FCK family is in deep mourning and our thoughts are with Andi's family and friends."
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Brehme's winning goal in 1990 World Cup final
Brehme, primarily known as an attacking left back, emerged as a standout figure in German soccer during the 1980s and 1990s and played a crucial role in the team's triumph at the 1990 World Cup.
His notable contributions included scoring in the semifinal against England, a match eventually won by West Germany on penalties, and securing the final against Argentina with an 85th-minute penalty in Rome. The World Cup victory sparked nationwide celebrations in Germany, coinciding with the ongoing process of reunification following the fall of the Berlin Wall the previous year.
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Brehme's international career and club achievements
Throughout his career, Brehme amassed 86 international appearances for both West Germany and unified Germany.
On the club front, Brehme achieved success by winning the German title twice, once with Bayern in 1987 and later with Kaiserslautern in 1998, during their remarkable title-winning campaign after promotion. He also clinched the Italian Serie A title with Inter in 1989.
Brehme passed away one month after the death of his friend Franz Beckenbauer, who coached the 1990 World Cup-winning team.
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