German World Cup hero, Gerd 'Der Bomber' Muller dies aged 75

Gerd Mueller scores the decisive third goal for Germany during the World Cup quarterfinal in 1970 - Copyright AP

Gerd Muller, the legendary coach of Bayern Munich and the West German national team in the 1970s, has died at the age of 75.

For his scoring prowess, the striker was dubbed "Der Bomber" and helped his country win the 1974 World Cup as well as three European club titles between 1974 and 1976.

In November 2020, his close friend Franz Beckenbauer commented, "I am convinced that people will still be talking about him in a hundred years' time,"

"In my opinion, he is the most significant player in Bayern's history," he stated. "It is because of his goals that the club has progressed to the international level where it still competes."

One of his successors in the Ballon d'Or, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, is the current Bayern Munich manager "Gerd Müller was the all-time finest center-forward. "A striker like we will never see again in modern football," remarked Joachim Low, the 2014 world champion national coach.

Muller had a career goal total of over 700. He scored twice in the 3-0 victory over the Soviet Union in the 1972 Euro final, and two years later scored in the 1974 World Cup final, assisting on the 2-1 victory over Johan Cruyff's Dutch favorites.

The goal was his 68th and final in 62 caps, and he considered it "the most important" of his entire career.

Miroslav Klose (71 goals) eclipsed his international goal record, although Muller is the only striker in Germany's history (among those with more than 15 goals) to average more than one goal per game.

His record of 40 goals in the 1971-72 Bundesliga season was only surpassed last season when current Bayern forward Robert Lewandowski scored his 41st goal in the final minute of the game.

Müller has suffered Alzheimer's disease for "a long time," according to Bayern, and has been professionally cared for with the support of his family since the beginning of February that year.

Publish : 2021-08-15 20:38:00

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