FRANKFURT: German football is in mourning for 1974 World Cup-winning left winger Bernd Hölzenbein who has died at 78 after a long illness.

Hölzenbein was the victim of the foul in the final against Netherlands which earned an equaliser for West Germany on their way to a 2-1 success with Paul Breitner’s penalty in the 25th minute and Gerd Müller’s follow-up just before halftime.

Johan Cruyff’s Dutchmen had taken a second-minute lead through a Johan Neeskens penalty.

Hölzenbein scored five goals in forty international matches played between 1973 and 1978 and 215 goals in 532 matches for Eintracht Frankfurt – 160 in the Bundesliga – and won the German Cup in 1974, 1975 and 1981 and the UEFA Cup in 1980.

In 1981 Hölzenbein ended his Bundesliga career and moved to the United States, where he played for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Memphis Americans and Baltimore Blasts.

He then wound down his career with Salmrohr who he led to promotion to the second division.

In 1988 he returned to Eintracht Frankfurt as vice-president and was appointed honorary captain.

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