Germany mourns 1974 World Cup hero Grabowski
Friday, March 11, 2022
Article summary
Former West German international and Eintracht Frankfurt legend Jürgen Grabowski – who won UEFA EURO and FIFA World Cup titles in the early 1970s – has died at the age of 77.
Article top media content
Article body
A one-club man, Grabowski wore the Eintracht shirt for 15 years, scoring 151 goals in 555 appearances, and ended his active career in 1980, the year that Frankfurt won the UEFA Cup.
A midfielder who was a superb playmaker at club level, he was often used on the wing for West Germany. He played 44 times for the national team between 1966 and 1974, scoring five goals.
Grabowski was part of the German squad in their victorious UEFA EURO 1972 campaign, and – on his 30th birthday – he helped his country win the final of the 1974 FIFA World Cup on home soil.
Decisive World Cup final role
Grabowski's former team mates cited his work ethic and determination as "decisive" in the Germans’ comeback from behind to beat the Netherlands 2-1 in the final in Munich. He was instrumental in starting the move that led to Gerd Müller’s winner.
Paying tribute to Grabowski, former German captain Franz Beckenbauer said: "He was a wonderful person and a great footballer. He was enormously important for the national team."
Karl-Heinz Körbel, who played alongside Grabowski at Frankfurt for many years, added: "This is a shock, and it is difficult to deal with. I have lost a friend. He was part of my life since 1972 and always supported me. This is a huge loss for Eintracht Frankfurt. 'Grabi' was a major influence for the club with his playing style and personality. Rest in peace."