Hans Schäfer
Winger whose cross led to the World Cup-winning goal that boosted West Germany’s postwar mood
HANS SCHAFER, who has died aged 90, was a key member of the West German team which in 1954 won the World Cup in one of the great upsets in the history of football. The years before the tournament, held in Switzerland, had been dominated by the great Hungary side of Ferenc Puskas and Nandor Hidegkuti. They had gone more than 30 matches unbeaten, a tally including historic wins over England, the second a recent 7-1 thrashing in Budapest. By contrast, West Germany, still burdened with war guilt, were little fancied, an impression confirmed when they lost 8-3 to Hungary in the group stages.
However, the manager Sepp Herberger turned out to have fielded a reserve team in that match, and by the time the two sides met again in the final in Bern the odds had evened a little. Puskas had injured his ankle, though he played in the game, while Schäfer had emerged as the best left wing in the competition. Quick and strong, he had a formidable eye for goal from distance and had scored four times in as many matches.
None the less, the Hungarians were two goals to the good within eight minutes and German hearts sank. Many explanations have been offered for what then ensued, known in Germany as the “Miracle of Bern”.
Puskas claimed that the West Germany had been doped (many of the team succumbed soon after to jaundice, perhaps caused by a shared needle, though officially they only received vitamin shots). Others pointed to the presence on the bench of Adi Dassler, founder of Adidas, who had supplied the team with boots with newly devised changeable studs, giving them better footing on the wet pitch.
More likely is that the Hungarians were tired and over-confident, having not bothered to scout their opponents, and by half-time the scores were level.
Then, six minutes from time, Schäfer won the ball. What followed was relayed to the German audience by Herbert Zimmerman in commentary that became as immortal to them as in England Kenneth Wolstenholme’s would a dozen years later.
“Schäfer nach innen geflankt …” Schäfer crossed into the box, on the edge of the area the ball fell to Rahn, who again checked inside before scoring with his left. “Call me crazy, call me mad!” shouted Zimmerman deliriously.
Puskas immediately netted at the other end, but the Welsh linesman ruled him offside. The decision is still much debated, yet West Germany had won the cup. Their unexpected triumph sparked euphoric scenes at home and, for many historians, marked the moment that the nation regained its self-esteem.
The son of a barber, Johann Schäfer was born in Cologne on October 19 1927. He spent two years in a flak unit as a teenager at the end of the war, then had a spell working for a farmer before entering his father’s profession. Yet his talent for football had been apparent from an early age and in 1948 he joined FC Köln, newly created from a merger of two sides in his home city and clad in all white in imitation of Real Madrid. He would become their greatest player, going on to score a club record 306 goals in 506 appearances.
Most of these came in the regional leagues that were then the basis of West German football. The club won several championships and reached the 1954 cup final. Their greatest success came at the end of Schäfer’s career, however, when they claimed the German title in 1962 and that of the Bundesliga in its inaugural season two years later. At 35, Schäfer was voted German footballer of the year.
He won 39 international caps and at the 1958 World Cup captained the side, scoring three goals in six matches. The team was in decline and few gave West Germany much hope of defending their title, but they reached the semi-finals only to lose to the hosts, Sweden. Anger in West Germany at what was perceived to be an unjust result – Swedish tourists had their tyres punctured – helped to obscure an earlier controversy resulting from Schäfer having barged the Czechoslovak goalkeeper over the line in a group match.
Despite not having featured for his country for three years, he was recalled for the 1962 World Cup in Chile, where the team went out in the quarter-finals. He retired from international soccer after that and hung up his boots for good in 1965 after a lengthy injury.
He had frequently taken a second job to make ends meet and had worked as a perfume salesman and at running a garage while still in the game. In the mid-1960s, he had a few years as an assistant coach with Köln before joining a public relations firm.
He married, in 1953, Isis Wolf, the daughter of a referee. She survives him with their two daughters.
Hans Schäfer, born October 19 1927, died November 7 2017