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The German Football Association (DFB) is mourning the loss of Bernd Hölzenbein. The former national team player passed away on Monday, April 15 evening at the age of 78.
Bernd Hölzenbein made 40 appearances for the West German national team, scoring a total of five goals. The former midfielder was a member of the West Germany side that finished as runners-up in EURO 1976. He also claimed the World Cup title with the team two years prior, the greatest achievement in his footballing career. Hölzenbein was a stand-out player of the tournament and became a permanent member of West Germany’s line-up in the final rounds, which came as a surprise to many after he only made a small number of appearances in the group stage. In their 2-1 win in the final against the Netherlands in Munich, the side were awarded a penalty after Bernd Hölzenbein was fouled in the 25th minute, which Paul Breitner converted to bring West Germany level after going 1-0 down early.
The name Hölzenbein will always be associated with Eintracht Frankfurt. Hölzenbein played for the side for 14 years, and his 160 goals in 420 Bundesliga appearances makes him the club’s all-time highest goalscorer in the competition. With ‘Holz’ on their side, Eintracht won the UEFA Cup (1980) and three DFB-Pokal trophies (1974, 1975, 1981). They also never lost a final during his time at the club. After a spell in the USA in the North American Soccer League, Hölzenbein returned to Germany at the end of the 1980s and worked for Eintracht Frankfurt as a vice-president, sporting director and chief scout.
“Bernd Hölzenbein was an incredible footballer and a great guy. He oozed class on the field and saw passes that no one else could see. ‘Holz’ was able to score from anywhere. He could even score sitting down. He was an exceptional player. His whole life revolved around football. His death leaves a huge void at Eintracht and the DFB. We owe him a large debt of gratitude, and we’ll miss him a lot,” said DFB president Bernd Neuendorf.
