The final of the 1990 World Cup was being played at the Olympic Stadium in Rome and the whole world watched as the defender with the German number 3 placed the ball on the penalty spot in front of a feared goalkeeper named Sergio Goycochea.
After a sigh and a long run, the player in the white shirt beat the goalkeeper to give the third world title to a European country revolutionized by the fall of communism. That player is the protagonist of today’s story.
Despite the glory that can be achieved on a playing field, not all stories after a footballer’s retirement end with a happy ending. Some, lost in a nebula of possibilities, make bad decisions in their financial lives, thus causing limiting situations.
Andreas Breheme, world champion with Germany and executioner of the Albiceleste, knew how to shine in the world of football as a great left back. While playing in important clubs in Europe, the one born in Hamburg on November 9, 1960 was affected a few years ago by a debt of 200 thousand euros that left him practically in ruin. However, “Andy” had a great career that is worth highlighting.
What was Andreas Brehme’s football career like?
He began his football career in Barmbeck Uhlenhorst of Hamburg. Then she joined the Kaiserslauternwhere he played for five years before being signed by the Bayern Munich in 1986. At the Munich club, Breheme won his first Bundesliga title.
In 1988, Brehme moved to Italy to join the Inter de Milan. With Inter, and accompanied by his compatriots Klinsmann and Matthaus, managed to win a Scudetto, an Italian Super Cup and a UEFA Cup.
After his time in Italian football and a season in Royal Zaragozareturned to Kaiserslautern where he won a German Cup plus a Bundesliga. In 1998, at the age of 38, the left back decided to hang up his boots..
However, his most distinguished step was with the Germany national team where the left back played in 3 World Cups (Mexico 86, Italy 90 and United States 94). Thanks to his goal in the final against Argentina, the German country became champion of the world for the third time in its history.
What happened to Andreas Breheme after his retirement from football
After his time as a player, Breheme did not distance himself from football. Between 2000 and 2006 he was coach of FC Kaiserlautern and SpVgg Unterhaching and technical assistant to Giovanni Trapattonni at VfB Stuttgart. Later, Andreas dedicated himself to appearing at events as well as advertising.
However, things became complicated for the former German player. In 2014 (the year Germany won another world title) The player was conflicted because he had a debt of 200 thousand Euros. Although at the time when Breheme was dedicated to playing he did not earn as much money as today, in the years after his retirement the world champion did not know how to manage what he had achieved monetarily speaking. The debt would even correspond to a loan that the player had taken out after mortgaging his house years ago.
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As reported by the media ‘Deutsche Welle’, Breheme was offered to clean bathrooms in a shopping center in Germany. A former German player even offered him the same job. “We are willing to employ Andreas Brehme as an assistant in our pipe cleaning firm. There he will learn what it is like to really work cleaning toilets and bathrooms. This will help you find out what life is like and improve your image. That is helping Brehme,” he said. Oliver Straube.
However, other former Germany players sought to show solidarity with Andreas in another way. “We have the responsibility to help Andreas Brehme, he did a lot for German football, he gave it a title, and Now it’s German football’s turn to do something for him. Maybe we can create a fund to protect players who go through emergencies“said the legendary Franz Beckenbauerchampion with Germany as a player and coach.
In February of this year, the former world champion suffered cardiac arrest, and after late assistance from the ambulance, he died in a clinic near his home. Despite his death, the renowned German figure is one of the many stories of footballers who did not know how to capitalize on the day after glory. Sometimes, even being a world champion doesn’t mean much.
Source: Ambito
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
