Anyone who wants to get closer to the footballer Andreas Brehme and even crosses national borders will notice: There were at least two Andreas Brehmes. There was the Federal Republican Andy Brehme, the author of the penalty shot that made Germany world champions in 1990 and allegedly even helped to bring the newly reunited Germany a little closer together emotionally. The Federal Republican Andy Brehme then made a few failed attempts. Some concerned his career after his football career, others were rather unsuccessful statements that didn’t even have much to do with football.
South of the Alps, however, there is an Andreas Brehme who looks a little brighter than the German version. You could say: almost flawless. Leading media, former teammates, former rivals – it felt like the whole of Italy was singing a eulogy to Brehme, who died unexpectedly on Tuesday, and to “il biondo”, the blonde. They’re all about hero worship in this country, and this footballer isn’t just burned into the collective memory because of his golden mane: Brehme was basically the initiator of the “Inter dei tedeschi”, the legendary Inter Milan of the Germans.
Brehme took part in the “Scudetto dei record” – Inter’s championship of the best scores
A pretty all-consuming collective term, especially for such a proud football nation like Italy, but this team is nostalgia for entire generations: In 1988, Brehme moved from FC Bayern to Inter; However, his arrival was outshone by the almost simultaneous signing of his friend Lothar Matthäus, who absorbed everything. Jürgen Klinsmann followed a year later. The then Inter coach Giovanni Trapattoni really wanted the Matthäus/Brehme duo, and Milan president Ernesto Pellegrini, a willing businessman, fulfilled his wish. Inter was still a big name in those years, but the really big successes were a while ago.
“Trap” formed a team that just floated through the league: 58 points, 26 wins in 34 games, these were the basic data for the “Scudetto dei record”, the championship badge of records. In times when a win was still worth two points, never before or since was a team better. The popularity of this group that continues to this day is also due to its composition and the special time.
Inter triumphed in what was then the world’s leading league, against Maradona’s Napoli, against city rivals AC Milan with the great Dutchmen Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard and Marco van Basten. The Germans complemented an Italian core at Inter, including names like Walter Zenga, Giuseppe Bergomi and Nicola Berti – this team was, in a sense, the overture to the 1990 World Cup in Italy, where Brehme sank his penalty in the final against Argentina knowing he wouldn’t not only German fans, but also the Italian Tifosi held their breath at that moment. Brehme has repeatedly emphasized that the DFB team was carried through the tournament thanks to this support.
Brehme was a welcome guest at San Siro in Milan until the end
Brehme played for Inter for four years; During this time he was also named Footballer of the Year in 1989 and UEFA Cup winner in 1991. He wrote that he entered the country like a German tourist Corriere della Sera, with a blonde mullet and a carefree disposition. This image persisted: the Italians have an easier time with their sports greats; However, what also passed them by was that Brehme sent birthday wishes in Germany for a donation and his half-naked girlfriend recently ran through the picture in one of these videos.
“Inter dei tedesci”: With Andreas Brehme (second from right), Lothar Matthäus (right) and Jürgen Klinsmann (left), Inter Milan floated through Serie A.
(Photo: Herbert Rudel/Sportfoto Rudel/Imago)
The Italians only know the great footballer, who also sounded very charming when he spoke Italian. Brehme knew this: he didn’t turn down an invitation to the San Siro Stadium in Milan; he was sure to get an ovation there. And anyone who met him quickly noticed that the episode in Italy ran like a long line through his life: recognition is worth a lot if you can receive it without reservation.
“He played altruistically, that was also his character,” said his former teammate Aldo Serena after Brehme’s death: “He was a simple man with a simple life who became a champion.” On the day of his death, Inter won 1-0 in the Champions League against Atlético Madrid; The Milanese played with mourning ribbons on their arms, and there was a minute of mourning before kick-off. One or two tears were also seen in the audience.