Horst Eckel RIP

End of an era, Swabian.
Don't think many people over here followed the 1954 World Cup that much because not many folk had a television in those days.
But I may be wrong.
 
Probably not! I for one wasn't even alive in 1954 and wasn't going to be for quite some time.

In any case, it was an important event in football history, a great upset against the odds (Hungary were unbeaten for yonks at the time and clear favourites) and an important moment for Germany, too.

Horst Eckel was a relentless runner who apparently nullified Hidegkuti who was considered Hungary's lynchpin and greatest threat.

End of an era indeed!!
 
It was 8-3. Herberger (the Germany manager) wrote off the game and played several reserve players to protect some of his best players.

Puskás got injured in that game (some say he was kicked out of it by Liebrich), and wasn't quite himself for the rest of the tournament.
 
So an important part of West Germany winning the final was the boots they were wearing. They were made by Adi Dassler who started Adidas from his Bavarian barn in the 30’s and who infamously made Jesse Owens running shoes to win his gold medals in Berlin in 1936 much to the anger of you know who.
The conditions in Bern after heavy rain had made the pitch very heavy in the second half. Dassler’s boots were the first ever to be the screw in type as opposed to be being permanent. All the Germans changed their studs from short to long at HT and thus got far more grip that the Hungarians and they went on to win as we know. He truly was their 12th man.
 
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