21.05.2024 11:14 h

West Germany World Cup finalist Schnellinger dead at 85

Karl-Heinz Schnellinger, a World Cup finalist with West Germany at the 1966 World Cup, died on Tuesday at the age of 85, his daughter confirmed to AFP subsidiary SID on Tuesday.

Schnellinger, a defender, played in four World Cups with West Germany from 1958 to 1970 and was on the losing side when England lifted the trophy at Wembley in 1966.

He played 47 times for West Germany. His one goal in national colours came in the 1970 World Cup semi-final against Italy, where he scored the equaliser which sent the match to extra time before Italy triumphed.

At club level, Schnellinger won the German top-flight title with Cologne in 1962 and was named German Footballer of the Year before becoming one of the first players to move abroad, spending the majority of his career in Italy.

After one year at FC Mantua and another year at Roma, Schnellinger spent nine seasons at AC Milan. With the Rossoneri he won four Italian Cups and a league title.

After retiring, Schnellinger lived in Italy and died in a hospital in Milan.