Bernd Hölzenbein, 1974 soccer world champion, died on Monday evening at the age of 78. He took the decisive penalty for Germany. The striker shone at Eintracht, the Hesse player played in the same era as Bruno Pezzey.
Football Germany mourns Bernd Hölzenbein. The 1974 world champion died on Monday evening at the age of 78. He had been ill for a long time and suffered from severe dementia. “With Bernd Hölzenbein, we are not only losing one of the great identification figures of our club, but also a loyal employee and a lovely friend,” says Eintracht board spokesman Axel Hellmann.
Hölzenbein played 40 international matches, and the Hessian record goalscorer played 420 times for Eintracht in the Bundesliga. In the 1974 World Cup final, Hölzenbein took the decisive penalty for Germany, Paul Breitner made it 1-1, Gerd Müller then scored the 2-1. From then on, Hölzenbein was the rascal for football in Germany, and for the Netherlands he was the inventor of the swallow. The footballer was awarded the Silver Laurel Leaf for the 1974 World Cup title.
Bernd Hölzenbein and the UEFA Cup. Imago / Imago sports photo service
The footballer from Dehrn in Central Hesse began his career in 1955 with the gymnastics and sports club, where he played in the first team from 1964. In 1966 he found his way to Eintracht. “Holz” made his league debut on November 4, 1967 (1-1 against HSV). The striker quickly became a star; in 1974, 1975 and 1981, Hölzenbein won the DFB Cup with Eintracht and alongside Bruno Pezzey, as well as the Uefa Cup in 1980.
This means that the sixth world champion from 1974 has died after Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Müller, Jürgen Grabowski, Horst-Dieter Höttges and Heinz Flohe.
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