FIFA President Gianni Infantino also mourns the loss of his late “idol” Andreas Brehme. “Ciao leggenda,” called the head of the World Football Association after the German final scorer of the 1990 World Cup, who died on Tuesday night at the age of 63.
The news of Brehme’s death “affected him greatly,” Infantino wrote on Instagram. It was only in January that he met the former world champion at the memorial service for Franz Beckenbauer in Munich. “It is tragic that we now mourn Andy’s death.”
Brehme will “forever remain in the hearts of all German fans,” said Infantino, paying tribute to the deceased as a “very special person. He is an icon of world football and one of my idols. His legacy testifies to his footballing class, his determination and his sportsmanship .”
Brehme “had a lasting impact on football,” Infantino said, predicting: “His career will also inspire future generations of footballers. His memory will live on in the hearts of fans around the world and remind us of the moments that define our wonderful sport make it so unique.”