The football world bows to Uwe Seeler. Franz Beckenbauer pays homage to his long-time companion, who "there is no second time". In Hamburg they want to change the name of the stadium, Philipp Lahm praises Seeler's "earthiness". Probably the best-known club in the world sends a special tribute.
Franz Beckenbauer is also dismayed by the death of his long-time companion Uwe Seeler. "Uwe was my oldest friend and my best," said the 76-year-old of the "Bild" newspaper about the football legend. "He always supported me when I joined the national team when I was very young. Just as he has helped everyone throughout his life. There is no other great person like Uwe." Seeler, like Beckenbauer, honorary captain of the German national team, died on Thursday at the age of 85. Both played together at the 1966 and 1970 World Cups.
A special posthumous honor for Seeler came from Spain. Real Madrid paid tribute to the "legend of German football" with emotional words. "Real Madrid FC, its President and Board of Directors deeply regret the death of Uwe Seeler, a legend of German football and the club of his life, Hamburg, where he played from 1953 to 1972," read the Spanish record champions' website . "Real Madrid would like to express our condolences, love and affection to all his relatives, his team-mates, his club and all his loved ones," said the most famous club in the world.
Ex-national player Philipp Lahm also paid tribute to the football idol as a player, but above all as a person. "What makes a person extraordinary? That he remains who he is, whether at the top or at the bottom. Uwe Seeler was such an extraordinary person. He embodied something in football that has become rare: honesty and earthiness," tweeted the former Team captain of the DFB selection. "Uwe led the German national team in a great way and triumphed and suffered with his HSV. He dedicated his life to the football he loved - his kind of football: the sport that brings people together," said the ex-professional FC Bayern Munich and world champion of 2014 about the longtime player and later president of Hamburger SV.
In Hamburg, meanwhile, the renaming of the Volksparkstadion is being discussed in public. Investor Klaus-Michael Kühne, who owns the rights to the Hamburger SV venue until the end of the season and is said to have paid around three million euros for it, is in favor of renaming the 57,000-seat arena. "If you want to rename the Volksparkstadion to the Uwe-Seeler-Stadion, I'll be there immediately, even if the previous traditional name would then no longer exist. As a Hamburg idol and monument, Uwe Seeler fully deserves the naming of the HSV-Stadion after his name." , said Kühne to the "Hamburger Abendblatt".
The 85-year-old from Hamburg, who lives in Switzerland, said that he adored seer from a young age. "Uwe Seeler was an outstanding football player as well as a great person. I was able to watch him a lot when I was younger and was there for the memorable overhead kick goal against Westfalia Herne in the championship year 1960 in the Volksparkstadion. Unbelievable and unforgettable," said Kühne.
Meanwhile, the German Football League (DFL) recommends the clubs in the 2nd Bundesliga for the upcoming weekend a minute's silence on the occasion of the death of football legend Uwe Seeler. In addition, the clubs are free to wear black ribbons at the games. The Hamburgers themselves meet Hansa Rostock at home on Sunday (1.30 p.m.). On Thursday evening there was also a minute's silence for Seeler in the quarter-finals of the women's European Championship between Germany and Austria (2-0).
