Helmuth Duckadam, who died on 2 December at the age of 65 in Bucharest, was a Romanian goalkeeper with German roots. His biggest day of his career came on May 7, 1986. It was then in the final of the European Cup (predeceeding of the Champions League), that his Steaua Bucharest in Seville played with FC Barcelona. The Catalans were a strong favorite. They had better players, and they played at home. However, the longer the match lasted and “Blaugrana” beat her head against the wall, the more the frustration of Terry Venables’s charges increased. Bernd Schuster, after being changed, flew out of the stadium like a rocket fired.
The frustrated “Barea” in penalty shootouts gave the worst show in the history of modern football. Jose Alexanco, Angel Pedraza, Pichi Alonso, Marcos – shots of these players from 11 meters were defended by Helmuth Duckadam goalkeeper. The series of penalty shootouts ended with an unusual 2-0 result.
Despite the incredible feat, for the golkiper, this match was the last in Steauy. The official diagnosis showed a very dangerous aneurysm in the player’s arm, which was saved only by eight hours of surgery.
Helmuth Duckadam is dead. He was 65 years old
However, in 1986, few believed in the official version, at least in Romania. It was said that the son of a bloody dictator, Nicu, demanded that the goalkeeper the gloves in which he defended in Seville, and when he received the refusal, he had Duckda break his limbs. Or that the dictator and his son envied the bouncer of fame. Or that Nicu demanded a Mercedes, which Duckadam received from UEFA as the best player of the final. After the finale, the goalkeeper at the age of 27 ended his career in practice. Then the material situation forced him to sell gloves from Seville. They went for a few thousand euros.
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In 2003, it seemed that his fatal streak would end when he won a permanent stay in the U.S. in the visa lottery. The Duckadam family settled in Phoenix, but after two years Helmuth decided to return. The American way of life didn’t suit him. His wife Ildiko and daughter Brigitte decided to stay in the States. As the hero himself says, the sum of happiness and bad luck is zero.
“If I had to live through all this again, I wouldn’t change my life even by an iota. That final is worth so much. Thanks to him, the rest of the happy man.