Former football greats in Germany reacted with astonishment and humor to their election into the Hall of Fame.
"Hall of Fame?
Wow, am I already that old? ", Asked Miroslav Klose jokingly:" No, joking aside: It is a huge honor for me to be welcomed with these great players and idols of their time.
It makes me proud and happy to be part of it.
It's another great moment in my career. "
Klose had won the 2014 World Cup in Brazil with the German national team and was the record scorer there with his 16th goal.
At 43, the former striker is the youngest of the five selected.
The oldest is 89-year-old Horst Eckel, a member of the legendary world championship team from 1954.
"It is a great honor for me to be elected fourth world champion in 1954 after Fritz Walter, Helmut Rahn and Sepp Herberger," said Eckel, "but winning the world championship was not just the success of Fritz, Helmut or me.
It was a mutual success.
We were a team. ”Eckel is the last survivor of the team that went down in sports history with the“ Miracle of Bern ”given the 3-2 win over Hungary.
In the fourth round of voting, since the German Football Museum launched the Hall of Fame in 2018, the jury also voted on the 1990 world champion, Jürgen Kohler, as well as the record goal scorers of the GDR national team (55 goals) and the GDR Oberliga ( 229), Joachim Streich: “Hall of Fame?
But I'm still alive! "Said Streich and added," I am delighted to be accepted into this illustrious group.
Wait, no, it's not just joy but pride too.
That makes me proud.
You don't wait for a call like that.
I have to deal with that now. "
In the “Trainer” category, Udo Lattek, who died in 2015, received the most votes.
He is the most successful German club coach to date.
The Football Hall of Fame now has 39 personalities.
Another five women will follow early next year.
So far appointed to the Hall of Fame:
Born in 2020:
Berti Vogts, Michael Ballack, Andreas Möller, Klaus Fischer, Rudi Völler
Born in 2019:
Oliver Kahn, Hans-Jürgen Dörner, Wolfgang Overath, Jürgen Klinsmann, Helmut Schön
Born in 2019 (founding eleven of the women):
Silke Rottenberg;
Steffi Jones, Doris Fitschen, Nia Künzer;
Renate Lingor, Silvia Neid, Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, Bettina Wiegmann;
Inka Grings, Birgit Prinz, Heidi Mohr;
Tina Theune
Born in 2018 (founding eleven of the men):
Sepp Maier;
Franz Beckenbauer, Paul Breitner, Andreas Brehme;
Günter Netzer, Lothar Matthäus, Fritz Walter, Matthias Sammer;
Uwe Seeler, Gerd Müller, Helmut Rahn;
Sepp Herberger
(The FAZ's sports department was involved in the election.)