One of our legends died today, Andreas Brehme, only 63 years old.
His penalty in the World Cup final 1990 against Argentina won Germany the trophy.
He played over 100 matches for Inter Mailand in 1988 til 1992. The picture shows him back then with Lothar Matthäus and Jürgen Klinsmann. In 1989 Inter won the Seria A and the Italian Supercup and in 1991 Inter won the UEFA cup (now the UEFA Europa League). Their coach? Giovanni "Spiele wie Flasche leer" Trapattoni.
He also won Bundesliga with FC Bayern in 1987 but his most famous station in Germany was 1. FC Kaiserslautern where he played twice, each time for several years, 1981-1986 and 1993-1998. When he joined FC Bayern in 1987 FC Bayern paid 2 million Deutsche Mark which was back then the 2nd highest transfer fee a German club ever paid for a transfer within Bundesliga.
In the 95/96 season on the last matchday Kaiserslautern played against Leverkusen and both teams were facing relegation to 2. Bundesliga. Kaiserslautern needed a win but they only played a draw and so they went down and Leverkusen stayed in Bundesliga.
That's a pic from after the game, Brehme crying and getting comforted by Rudi Völler who back then played for Leverkusen. Some of the most iconic TV moments in Bundesliga history.
One week later Kaiserslautern won the DFB Cup.
Kaiserslautern spent one year in 2. Bundesliga, ranked 1st and got relegated back to Bundesliga again. So back in Bundesliga again Kaiserlautern delievered probably the most iconic season ever in Bundesliga history when they won the 1997/98 season. An achievement that no team earned before and after them.
Remember Otto Rehhagel who once led Greece to a Euro Cup win? He was the coach back then and Kaiserslautern had a guy like Youri Djorkaeff in their ranks. Oh, and guess where Rehhagel was coach in 1996 when Kaiserslautern went down. Correct, he was coach of FC Bayern but the season was one of the first FC Hollywood season and they dumbed Rehhagel. During the summer break between the season he joined Kaiserslautern.
In 1998 after winning Bundesliga Brehme retired as player.
He then became a coach but his stints as coach weren't that succesfull. As coach of Kaiserslautern he reached twice the half final of UEFA cup.
In 2005 he became co-coach for VfB Stuttgart which was his last active stint. And who was head coach of Stuttgart back then? Giovanni Trapattoni.
Dude wrote some pretty cool storylines in his football career.
R.I.P.
Speaking of storylines.
In December, just a week before christmas, 1. FC Cologne sacked their coach Steffen Baumgart.
Some people say during his Cologne stint he became some sort of a coach pop icon, some people say he became a living meme bc no matter if it was raining, snowing or sun shine he always wore a shirt and this hat.
2. Bundesliga club Hamburger SV who sacked their coach last week just announced Baumgart as their new coach.
Now if Hamburg should rank 3rd in 2. league and Cologne ranks 16th in Bundesliga then we get some really wild relegation matches.
