Football
PA Sport 6y

German World Cup winner Hans Schafer dies at age 90

Cologne have announced that their all-time record goal scorer Hans Schafer, who won the 1954 World Cup with West Germany, has died at the age of 90.

Considered one of Germany's greatest wingers, Schafer spent the whole of his 17-year playing career at Die Geissbocke and scored a record 306 competitive goals in 506 appearances, joining in 1948 shortly after the club were founded.

Cologne president Werner Spinner said on his club's website: "The entire FC family is grieving deeply and our thoughts are with the family of Hans Schafer. We are losing one of the greatest personalities FC Koln has ever known. As a world champion and icon of this club, Hans Schafer's name will live forever."

Schafer won the German Footballer of the Year award in 1963, at the age of 35, before retiring two years later.

He made 39 appearances and scored 15 goals for West Germany and also played in the three World Cups, captaining his country in the latter two tournaments.

He was instrumental in Helmut Rahn's decisive goal against Hungary in the 1954 World Cup final, which West Germany won 3-2.

The death of Schafer means midfielder Horst Eckel is the only surviving member of that World Cup-winning squad.

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