Pele, the Brazilian football great, included Seeler in his 2004 list of the world’s greatest living players.
“His ball handling was perfect, his shot accurate and what really surprised me was his ability to head the ball,” said Pele.
In a special supplement to celebrate Seeler’s 80th birthday in 2016, the Hamburg club wrote: “If Uwe Seeler tightened his boots, the opposing goalkeeper could dress warmly and preferably put on a second pair of gloves, because Seeler was everywhere. scored and in every way possible. Whether it’s overhead kicks, flying headers, long shots, volleys, lobs, opportunistic attacks – he always found a way to get the ball across the line.”
Seeler won the German Championship in 1960 and the German Cup in 1963 with Hamburg, but he also endured heartbreak with near misses in the European Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup. Hamburg lost to Barcelona in the semi-final of the European Cup in 1961 and to Milan in the final of the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1968.
Seeler, who was born in Hamburg on November 5, 1936, had repeatedly struggled with health problems in recent years. In May 2020, he underwent surgery to repair a broken hip after a serious fall at home. He lost his hearing in his right ear and had problems with his balance after a car accident in 2010. He was also given a pacemaker and a tumor had to be removed from his shoulder, reports DPA news agency.
Seeler and his wife, Ilka, were married for over 60 years. They had three daughters. His grandson Levin Öztunali plays for the Bundesliga club Union Berlin. Seeler’s older brother, Dieter, also played for Hamburg. His father, Erwin, worked on a barge in the port of Hamburg and was also known for playing football in that city.
Complete information on survivors was not immediately available.
