Andreas Brehme became a World Cup hero in 1990 with his perfect penalty kick. But his iconic goal didn’t just bring him luck. An obituary
February 20, 2024, 1:15 p.m
Andy Brehme immediately after the final goal in 1990, Jürgen Klinsmann on the right © Frank Kleefeldt/dpa
The decisive minute, that great, eternal 85th minute from Rome. Andreas Brehme’s penalty against Argentina. And what a penalty it was! Hard and, above all, precise, Brehme’s shot cut through the summer night perfectly. A goal in which the Germans could truly recognize themselves.
A perfect timing of the magical moment: On July 8, 1990, Brehme blessed a unifying country in the historic hour between the fall of the Berlin Wall and Unity Day. After the game ended, ARD showed the outline of this new Germany, colored black, red and gold. The future shimmered brightly.