Uwe Seeler was a German footballer and football official. As a striker, he was a prolific scorer for Hamburger SV and also made 72 appearances for the West Germany national team.
Usually regarded as one of the greatest players in German football history, Seeler was named one of FIFA’s 125 greatest living players by Pelé in 2004.
He was the first football player to be awarded the Great Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. His grandson, Levin Öztunalı, is also a professional footballer.
Seeler followed in his father’s footsteps as a player for Hamburger SV, making his first team debut in 1954 in a DFB-Pokal match, aged just under 18, scoring four goals (8–2 vs. Holstein Kiel).
In later years, despite tempting offers from Italian and Spanish clubs, he remained loyal to Hamburg, working on a second career as a merchant besides playing football.
Seeler was a gifted, powerful, and prolific striker who, among other things, was most of all renowned for his leadership, consistency, overhead kicks, and aerial ability.
He scored 137 times in 239 Bundesliga games, 43 times in 72 international games for the German national team, and 21 times in 29 European club tournament games.
He was captain of both his club team and the national team for many years. He and his club won the German championship in 1960 and the DFB-Pokal in 1963.
He was the top scorer of the first Bundesliga season in 1963–64 and German Footballer of the Year in 1960, 1964, and 1970.
How old Was Uwe Seeler At His Death?
Seeler died on 21 July 2022, aged 85, in his home in Norderstedt.
