In a legendary match, he managed to score. - German World Cup star Schnellinger (85) passes away.
The German soccer great passed away near Milan following a lengthy illness, according to multiple Italian news outlets. After retiring, he had been residing in Italy.
Schnellinger is known for his role in the legendary 1970 World Cup semi-final clash between Germany and Italy (4:3 after extra time), where he scored the equalizer in the 90th minute, pushing the match into overtime. This historic moment earned him the nickname "Schnellinger of all people" from famed commentator Ernst Huberty. This was not only his first but also his only international goal.
In 1966, he played in the World Cup final between Germany and England, losing 4:2 (after extra time), which took place at Wembley.
His great accomplishments in Italian soccer include winning significant titles with Milan: the Italian championship (Scudetto), the Italian cup (Coppa Italia), the European Cup of Champions, and the European Cup Winners' Cup.
For this reason, he is also celebrated as a legend in Italy, where he's affectionately called "Volkswagen" due to his dependability.
Born in Düren, Schnellinger left to join 1. FC Köln as a youngster. He helped Köln win the German championship in 1962.
The following year, he moved to Italy, playing for various teams such as AS Roma, Mantova, and AC Milan.
In 1974, Schnellinger returned to the Bundesliga for a season, representing TeBe Berlin prior to retiring and ultimately settling in Italy.
He has sadly passed away there after enduring a prolonged illness.
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Source: symclub.org