German soccer great Seeler dies at 85

Uwe Seeler, who led West Germany to the 1966 World Cup final as captain of the national team, died Thursday. He was 85. Regarded as one of Germany’s best-ever players, Seeler was famous for his overhead kicks and ability to score goals from the unlikeliest of angles. He was also known for his humility and fairness, and respected for his never wavering loyalty to hometown club Hamburger SV. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Twitter that the country was mourning the passing of “our Uwe.” Seeler played for Hamburg from 1952-73, scoring 445 goals in 519 Oberliga and Bundesliga appearances for the team. He remains Hamburg’s record scorer in the Bundesliga with 137 goals. The club said he scored 507 goals in 587 competitive games for the club altogether. Seeler scored 43 goals in 72 games for West Germany, finishing runner-up to England at the 1966 World Cup and with a third-place medal four years later in Mexico. Seeler was voted German soccer player of the year in 1960, 1964 and 1970. Brazil great Pele included Seeler in his list of the world’s greatest living players in 2004.