HSV’s archrival, FC St. Pauli, also mourns the loss of Seeler. “An outstanding footballer and Hamburger, a role model for fairness and down-to-earthness. Our sympathy goes to his relatives and friends as well as HSV. Separated in colour, united in mourning,” said the Kiezkicker in their official club announcement.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz, long mayor of Hamburg, described Seeler as “a role model for many, a football legend and of course an honorary citizen of Hamburg. (…) He will be missed.”
National coach Hansi Flick praised Seeler as a “role model for generations of national players” and explained: “With his down-to-earth, modest and reserved manner, he also inspired people off the pitch and won them over. We always enjoyed having him around us Uwe Seeler inspired us. All of us in the national team and in the DFB will miss him a lot.”
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier also spoke up: “With Uwe Seeler we are losing a legend of German football and a unique personality without great pretense, at the same time the honest worker on the field and the brilliant goalscorer. We all mourn the honorary captain of the German national soccer team.”
DFB President Bernd Neuendorf said: “In Uwe Seeler we are losing one of the best footballers Germany has ever had. (…) His down-to-earth attitude, his modesty and his connection to his hometown of Hamburg distinguished him throughout his life. (…) His death makes us incredibly sad. Uwe Seeler will be greatly missed by the DFB and all of German football. We will miss ‘Us Uwe’ very much.”
Rudi Völler said: “I’m shocked. My thoughts are with his family, to whom I express my deepest condolences. Uwe was a wonderful person, one of the greatest German sporting idols has left us.”
The women’s national team, which is fighting against Austria in Brighton this Thursday evening for a place in the European Championship semi-finals, will wear black armbands in honor of Seeler.