The former professional soccer player and coach Jürgen Sundermann has died at the age of 82.

The Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart announced this on Wednesday, citing Sundermann's family.

Accordingly, the former promotion hero of the Swabians died last Tuesday.

"Jürgen Sundermann has achieved great things for VfB Stuttgart and has always combined humanity and optimism.

His unshakable belief in success and his open nature made the football coach, commonly referred to in this country as the 'miracle man', a legend of VfB coaching par excellence during his lifetime.

We will miss him," said VfB President Claus Vogt in a statement from the Bundesliga club.

"We mourn with his widow Monika and his family."

Sundermann coached Stuttgart back into the Bundesliga in the 1976/1977 season, and in the two following seasons VfB finished fourth and second.

In the further course of his coaching career, Sundermann, who was born in Mülheim an der Ruhr in 1940, took a seat on the VfB bench again (1980 to 1982 and 1995).

In addition, he worked as a scout and trainer for the traditional team for the Swabians.

As a player, Sundermann played 29 Bundesliga games for Hertha BSC and played once for the German national team.