Former Bundesliga goalkeeper Wolfgang “Teddy” de Beer has died at the age of just 60.
As his long-time club Borussia Dortmund announced on New Year’s Day, de Beer died suddenly and unexpectedly on December 30th. He would have been 61 years old this Thursday.
“His death leaves us all speechless,” said the BVB statement: “The Borussia family is shocked and deeply sad.” De Beer was most recently still employed by Westphalia as a fan representative; he was one of BVB’s figureheads over the past decades.
Came to Dortmund from Duisburg
De Beer, born in Dinslaken, played one international match for the German U21 national team in 1984. In the summer of 1986 he moved from MSV Duisburg to Dortmund and after 217 competitive games he ended his career in 2001. De Beer was there for nine of BVB’s great successes, as first or second goalkeeper or as goalkeeping coach, the club explained.
“‘Teddy’ was one of the good ones. On the pitch, but especially off the pitch,” wrote the club. “A man you can touch. Deeply grounded. With his pulse, his heart and his full attention, always very close to people, a good, positive listener. Someone you always wanted to have around.”
