Six German football legends were included in the Hall of Fame at a gala in the Dortmund football museum – including the world champions Guido Buchwald and Bastian Schweinsteiger.
Guido Buchwald has had a special place in the German Football Museum in Dortmund for several years: Buchwald’s jersey is hanging from the 1990 World Cup final in one of the showcases that issue devotionals from German football history. In addition to that of Diego Maradona, both are originals. Buchwald had cold Argentina’s grand master in the final of Rome for over 90 minutes. The honorary title “Diego”, which the Stuttgart got after the World Cup triumph, also earned himself through playful highlights: unforgettable his measure to Jürgen Klinsmann’s lead in the legendary round of 16 against the Netherlands.
Buchwald in the Dortmund Football Museum included in the “Hall of Fame”
On Monday evening, Buchwald was officially included in the German football hall. In the “Hall of Fame”, which is at home in the Dortmund Football Museum. “It is an honor for me. It is an elitist circle in which not many are allowed to go, that’s why it makes me a little proud”said Buchwald at the WDR microphone.
Together with 1990 world champion Buchwald, who received the honor of VfB legend Hansi Müller, five other legends of German football were recorded at the gala in the football museum: Horst Hrubesch, European champion from 1980 and then as a coach of numerous DFB teams. Bastian Schweinsteiger, world champion, Champions League winner and ARD expert. And with Jupp Heynckes and Otto Rehhagel, two of the most successful coaches in history. Rehhagel received the honor from Benno Möhlmann, one of his companions from successful Bremen times.
Heynckes, who won the triple with FC Bayern as the first German coach in 2013, was unable to come to Dortmund for health reasons, but let in advance that it was a great honor to belong to this exquisite circle. Uli Hoeneß, his longtime companion at FC Bayern, paid tribute to Heynckes by video message “Years of cornerstones” at the record champion.
Neuendorf about Trautmann – “History of Reconciliation”
Bert Trautmann was posted posthumously to the Hall of Fame, his son Mark Trautmann had traveled from England to Dortmund. With the appreciation of the goalkeeper, who died in 2013, the expert jury proved a special sense with many journalists, including WDR sports director Karl Valks: Trautmann came as a military war in England as a military war in England, became a goalkeeper icon in the 1950s at Manchester City and the symbol of German-British international understanding. “It is a story of reconciliation”said DFB President Bernd Neuendorf in his laudation.
Schweinsteiger stirred to tears at Lahms laudation
With this, the curators of the Hall of Fame spanned the big arc through German football history, up to the last big triumph, the World Cup victory by Rio: Bastian Schweinsteiger was taken as the third player of the 2014 World Champion team, as the youngest in the Hall of Fame to date. But he feels “Great joy and gratitude”said Schweinsteiger to the WDR. “As a young boy, we dreamed of winning big titles. That we succeeded in 2014, with the national team, that remains very special.”
World champion captain Philipp Lahm also paid tribute to Schweinsteiger’s performance in the final against Argentina. “He was the rock in the surf”said Lahm to Schweinsteiger, who came a few tears before emotion.
Moderator Esther Sedlaczek (left), 2014 world champion Bastian Schweinsteiger and Philipp Lahm (right)
Horst Hrubesch was honored by his long -time teammate and template provider at HSV and in the national team, Manfred Kaltz. Hrubesch had already emphasized in advance that he was only the second HSV player after Uwe Seeler, who would be included in the Hall of Fame.
He accepted the official award as a German football legend as usual: “I’ve heard the word legend several times. I always said that the legends are usually already dead”, said the 74-year-old and added with a smile. “I’m actually doing quite well. I wanted to do a few years.”