NEW DELHI:
Bernd Hoelzenbein
, a member of the victorious
West Germany
team at the
1974 World Cup
, passed away at the age of 78, as announced by his long-time club
Eintracht Frankfurt
on Tuesday.
Throughout his career, Hoelzenbein scored five goals in 40 appearances for West Germany, playing as both a striker and a winger.
In the 1974 World Cup final against the Netherlands in Munich, he won a crucial penalty that was converted by
Paul Breitner
, equalizing the score at 1-1.
Despite facing criticism from Dutch fans for allegedly diving, Hoelzenbein maintained throughout his life that it was a "clear penalty."
Gerd Mueller
's decisive goal late in the first half secured a 2-1 victory for
Germany
and their second World Cup title.
Hoelzenbein also made an impact in the
1976 European Championship
final, scoring a late goal to level the match at 2-2 against Czechoslovakia. However, Germany ultimately lost the match on penalties.
At the club level, Hoelzenbein spent the majority of his career with Eintracht Frankfurt, where he remains the club's all-time top scorer with 160 goals in 420 appearances. During his 14-year tenure with Frankfurt, he won three German Cups and the UEFA Cup.
After leaving the Eagles, Hoelzenbein played for several years in the United States with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Memphis Americans, and the Baltimore Blast.
Upon returning to Frankfurt, Hoelzenbein worked with the club as an administrator and scout.
Eintracht Frankfurt CEO Axel Hellmann expressed the club's sense of loss, stating, "Bernd Hoelzenbein has had a significant influence on Eintracht Frankfurt for almost 60 years. We are not only losing one of the great identification figures of our club, but also a loyal employee and a lovely friend."
(With inputs from AFP)
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