National Bomber

In anticipation of the European Championship, we bring an overview of the previous championships through the prism of footballers who celebrated the biggest football shows of the Old Continent.

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Gerd Miller, Photo: Daily Mail
Gerd Miller, Photo: Daily Mail
Disclaimer: The translations are mostly done through AI translator and might not be 100% accurate.
Ažurirano: 12.06.2024. 10:37h

Gerd Müller, called the "national bomber", led Germany (then West) to the title of European champion in 1972 in Belgium.

Anecdotes still circulate about this short-legged and chubby goalscorer. The famous Uruguayan journalist Eduardo Galeano also wrote an interesting story:

"The coach at the Munich club TSV told him: 'You won't make it far in football. It's better for you to do something else.'" At that time, Gerd Müller was working 12 hours a day in a textile factory.

Eleven years later, in 1974, this stocky soccer player became the world champion. He scored the most goals in the history of the German championship, as well as for the German national team.

'On the field, this terrible wolf was not even noticed. Disguised as a grandmother, hiding his fangs and paws, he was a true innocent who generously distributed balls and performed all possible acts of charity. During that time, he continuously crept into the penalty area. And when he found himself in front of the goal, his mouth would water: the net was a girl's lace dress that he couldn't resist. Then he would suddenly undress and sink his teeth in," Galeno wrote.

Gerd Müller, who was also called "short, fat Müller", sunk his teeth into the opponent's net almost 1.500 times in his career, if you count games in junior categories and amateur clubs.

For the German national team, he scored an average of 1,09 goals (68 in 62 games), in the Bundesliga he scored exactly as many goals as there are days in the year (365, in 427 matches), while his club international average (66 goals in 74 games ) few will be able to reach soon. Only Pele and Romario, on the eternal list of goalscorers, have scored more goals than him.

The great rise of German football, according to many, did not start with the magician Franz Beckenbauer or the famous beer drinker Uwe Zeller, but with Müller, who turned everything he touched into gold. Until the European Championship in 1972, where the "national bomber" became famous, the Germans had only one trophy in major competitions, but after that year they won two more European and three world championships.

And considering how many goals he scored in his career (he scored ten at the 1970 World Cup), Müller actually doesn't remember exactly what happened at Euro 1972.

"I know that we were very lucky in that championship and that I scored two goals in the semi-final. I don't remember the rest," Miller said.

In the final, against the Soviet Union, at the "King Baudouin" stadium, he scored two more goals. The Germans won 3:0 and won the first title of European champion.

This legend of Bayern Munich, who was also called "torpedo" (he scored 398 goals for Bayern in 15 seasons), said goodbye to football in 1982 because he could not cope with alcohol. His former club mates raised money and paid for his treatment.

He worked for Bayern for a long time as a coach of the amateur team. Last year, the Munich club announced that Miller was suffering from Alzheimer's disease and was undergoing treatment.

The company "Adidas" still produces a series of products under his name.

Championship team

The best team of the European Championship in Belgium in 1972 consisted of: Evgeni Rudakov (USSR), Revaz Dzhudjuyashvili (USSR), Franz Beckenbauer (West Germany), Murtaz Kurtsilava (USSR), Paul Breitner (West Germany), Uli Henes (West Germany) , Ginter Netzer (West Germany), Herbert Wimmer (West Germany), Raul Lamber (Belgium), Jupp Heinkes (Netherlands), Gerd Müller (West Germany).

The Germans defeated Belgium in the semi-finals (2:1, two goals by Miller), while they swept the Soviet Union (3:0) in the final. Miller scored two goals again.

Bonus video: