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Germany's 1990 World Cup hero

 

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CNN's Human to Hero series celebrates inspiration and achievement in sport. Click here for times, videos and features.

(CNN) -- His first act as a teenage professional goalkeeper was to pick the ball out of the back of the net.

But it would not take long before the football world was in the palm of Bodo Illgner's hands.

"I was a baby in the goal," Illgner tells CNN's Human to Hero series of his heroics for West Germany at the 1990 World Cup in Italy. "The goalkeeper usually joins the national team at the mid-twenties, the late twenties, even over the 30s maybe.

"I was very, very lucky to have the confidence of Franz Beckenbauer our coach in 1990."

Illgner, aged just 23, became the youngest goalkeeper to win the World Cup.

CNN的人，以英雄系列慶祝靈感和成就運動。點擊這裡為次，視頻和特點。

（CNN） -他的第一次作為一個十幾歲的專業守門員挑球出淨的背面。

但它不會需要很長時間的足球世界之前是在博多伊爾格納的手掌。

“我還是個嬰兒的目標，”伊爾格納告訴CNN的人，以英雄系列他的神勇表現為西德在1990年世界杯在意大利。“守門員通常加入國家隊在二十幾歲，二十年代末，甚至在上世紀30年代，也許。

“我非常，非常幸運有貝肯鮑爾我們的教練的信心在1990年。”

伊爾格納，年齡只有23，成為第一個贏得世界杯最年輕的門將。

He more than justified Beckenbauer's belief in him as he famously denied England in a semifinal penalty shootout and then became the first goalie to keep a clean sheet in a World Cup final as the Germans beat defending champion Argentina 1-0.

Captain of that victorious team was Lothar Matthaus -- the player who had fired a penalty past Illgner earlier when the 18-year-old came on as a substitute for Cologne in a Bundesliga clash with titleholder Bayern Munich.

The man he replaced that day in February 1986, Toni Schumacher, was twice a losing World Cup finalist for West Germany -- but Illgner would not suffer such a fate.

A Roman triumph

After waltzing through the group stages of Italia '90, West Germany would see off the Netherlands, Czechoslovakia and England before marching on to the final at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome for a rematch of the 1986 final.

 

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"It was tremendous, a tremendous World Cup," Illgner recalls. "Italy is close to Germany, so you can imagine that thousands of German fans were .all along the streets when we were going to the games.

"Everything worked out perfectly, the atmosphere in the team was great, motivation was great, the coach did well. We had our freedom and we played very well and won it."

Legends were made that famous night in the Italian capital, but IIlgner had already etched his name into national folklore.

A crucial penalty save from England's Stuart Pearce in the semis helped the Germans to advance to a third successive final in the most tense circumstances.

He then recorded the first final shutout since the tournament began in 1930 as a late Andreas Brehme penalty gave West Germany a third title overall.

"I was just happy that we won this game," IIlgner says modestly when reminded of his exploits. "I couldn't care less if it was 4, 3, 2, 1, nothing. I was just happy to hold this big and heavy trophy in my hand in the match against Argentina."

In fact, IIlgner recalls the final as one of his easiest games in the tournament. That's despite Argentina's side containing Diego Maradona, arguably one of the finest players to ever play the game and a key figure in the 1986 tournament.

"I couldn't see Maradona in that game, he did not even try a shot on my goal so I had a pretty easy job in that final," IIlgner says.

"I think I only touched it once or twice. We did a great defensive job of course but Diego Maradona was the danger for us.

"Lucky for us we had Guido Buchwald, who played one to one against him."

Germany had witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall less than a year before the 1990 final and the reunited country still had a feelgood factor from those momentous events. When the players returned they were swamped by well-wishers as they paraded through the streets of Frankfurt.

 

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"The homecoming after the World Cup was almost as mad as going to each of the games," IIlgner recalls. "I don't know how many million people were around the streets but it was exceptional."

IIlgner had watched on television the last time West Germany won the World Cup back in 1974 but he never thought he would be able to replicate the feats of legends like Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller and Bertie Vogts.

Four years later, however, the World Cup of USA '94 would bring IIlgner and his countrymen back down to earth.

A unified Germany team, featuring many of the 1990 side as well as those who would have previously qualified for East Germany, suffered a surprise 2-1 quarterfinal defeat at the hands of Bulgaria.

"The 1990 World Cup was a tremendous success and it was a very nice experience (but) '94 was not nice, not the same good experience within the team, with the coach," Illgner says.

"So I was very frustrated about how things were going during this World Cup.

"Everybody was more motivated to play against us. Our team spirit was not the same as four years previous and we had a different coach by then. Players got older, they were at the end of their career."

The defeat marked IIlgner's 54th and last appearance for Germany as he retired from international football after the tournament aged just 27.

"I planned it to step down at the World Cup (as a) winner again but it did not work out like that," he says.

"Maybe the biggest regret I have was to resign right after we lost in '94 against Bulgaria. Now I think I should have waited a little bit longer and think it over. I could have played another World Cup or even more international games."

Germany would bounce back to win the European Championships in England two years later but IIlgner's focus was elsewhere by then.

Named European goalkeeper of the year in 1991 and Germany's top stopper from 1989-93, he had become hot property.

As his compatriots walked the famous Wembley steps to lift the Henri Delaunay trophy, IIlgner was in Spain finalizing a move from Cologne to Real Madrid -- a club more known for spending big on the world's best attacking players.

 

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"It was a tremendous success for me that one of the biggest clubs, Real Madrid, asked for my services -- and I was more than happy to sign for them," he says.

"They came out of a very poor season, signed a lot of new players, brought in a new coach Fabio Capello, who wanted me as his goalkeeper and we had a fantastic season.

"I had to fight hard with two Spanish goalkeepers to get in there, but in the end it was worth it."

At Cologne, IIlgner had come close to winning titles but his side never finished higher than second in the league. His debut season ended with Cologne just avoiding relegation.

In Madrid, winning was the only option. Second was equivalent to being the first loser.

With IIlgner in their ranks, Los Blancos would win La Liga twice, as well as two European Champions League crowns (although the keeper was an unused substitute for the second of these wins in 2001).

"I enjoyed my time at Real Madrid with Fernando Hierro, Roberto Carlos, Clarence Seedorf, Davo Suker, Mijatovic, Raul. It was fantastic," he says.

"I enjoyed to be with these players with this quality and nice, nice lads ... I enjoyed it very much."

Behind the mike

Today, IIlgner is still involved in football although he has turned his hand to commentary at North American broadcaster beIN Sports.

Forthright in his opinions and insightful with his analysis, the transition from the pitch to the television screen has been a seamless one.

IIlgner regularly covers the Spanish, Italian and German leagues for his employer and he feels more qualified than most to offer predictions on who to watch out for in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil starting next month.

"In Brazil, they expect to win this World Cup and that can weigh on your shoulders of course. We have to see how they deal with it, but i think they are the big favorites," he says.

 

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"There's another three or four favorites. Germany of course, Spain of course as a World Cup winner (in 2010) and the dark horse might be Belgium or Chile.

"Argentina, not to forget with Messi, they have a very good strikers upfront and are very dangerous as well."

Unsurprisingly, Illgner will be rooting for his compatriots.

"We've seen a very solid and very good German team since Germany played at home at the World Cup in the 2006," he says. "Fantastic football, different to the football that we are used to in Germany.

"We played with a lot of heart, there was a lot of power, but from 2006 on we played with a lot of technique, with a lot of spirit as well.

"This generation needs a title and I think it's the last chance. Some players are getting old now. Philipp Lahm is one of the best players on the right-back side, he's 30.

"Thomas Muller is one of the most talented players and he's still young, he can do more World Cups, but Bastian Schweinsteiger for example, in midfield, 30 almost as well.

"This team is getting old -- if they want to get a title it needs to be this season."

If Joachim Low's German team of 2014 are looking for advice, they could do worse than taking a tip or two from this World Cup winner behind the mike.

他比有道理貝肯鮑爾在他的信念，他的著名否認英格蘭在半決賽點球大戰，然後成為了第一個守門員，保持不失球的世界杯決賽的德國人擊敗衛冕冠軍阿根廷1-0。

那勝利隊隊長馬特烏斯 - 誰發射了一個點球過去的伊爾格納早些時候，當18歲的替補，作為科隆在德甲衝突與拳王拜仁替補球員。

他當天在1986年2月取代了男人​​，托尼 - 舒馬赫，是兩次失去世界杯決賽西德 - 但伊爾格納不會遭受這樣的命運。

一個羅馬凱旋

通過'90意大利的小組賽階段華爾茲後，西德會看到過荷蘭，捷克斯洛伐克和英國前進到決賽在奧林匹克球場羅馬為1986年最後的複賽之前。

 

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“這是巨大的，巨大的世界杯，”伊爾格納回憶說。“意大利是接近德國，所以你可以想像，成千上萬的德國球迷們，都在街上時，我們要的遊戲。

“一切工作完美，在球隊的氣氛是偉大的，動機是偉大的，教練做的很好，我們有我們的自由和我們打得非常好，贏了。”

傳說中所做的著名的夜生活在意大利首都，但IIlgner已經銘刻他的名字納入國家的民間傳說。

一個關鍵的點球扑出了英格蘭隊的皮爾斯在半決賽中幫助德國推進到第三個連續最後在最緊張的情況下。

然後，他記錄了第一個決賽完封，因為比賽開始於1930年作為後期安德烈亞斯布雷默罰了西德第三個冠軍的整體。

“我只是很高興我們贏得了這場比賽，”IIlgner謙虛地說，當想起他的攻擊。“我一點也不在乎，如果它是4，3，2，1，什麼都沒有。我只是幸福地抱著這個又大又重的獎杯在我的手在對陣阿根廷的比賽。”

事實上，IIlgner回憶的最後，作為他最簡單的遊戲的比賽之一。這就是儘管阿根廷的邊包含馬拉多納，最優秀的球員曾經玩遊戲可以說是之一，並在1986年比賽的關鍵人物。

“我看不出馬拉多納在那場比賽中，他甚至沒有嘗試我的目標射擊，所以我在最後有一個很簡單的工作，”IIlgner說。

“我想我只摸一次或兩次。我們做當然是一個偉大的防守工作，但馬拉多納對我們的危險。

“幸運的是，我們有圭多布赫瓦爾德，誰發揮一對一反對他。”

德國已經見證了柏林牆倒塌不到一年之前，1990年最終與國家統一仍然有從這些重大事件一個感覺良好的因素。當玩家回到他們被好心人淹沒，因為他們通過法蘭克福的遊街示眾。

 

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“世界杯後衣錦還鄉幾乎氣瘋去各個遊戲，”IIlgner回憶說。“我不知道有多少億人在街上，但它是個例外。”

IIlgner曾在電視上觀看了最後一次西德隊奪得世界杯冠軍早在1974年，但他從來沒有想過他能複製像貝肯鮑爾，穆勒和貝爾蒂·福格茨傳說的功勳。

四年後，然而，世界杯美國94年會帶來IIlgner和他的同胞回落到地球。

一個統一的德國隊，擁有許多20世紀90年代方以及那些誰也以前資格東德，意外地以2-1四分之一決賽擊敗保加利亞的手中。

“1990年世界杯是一個巨大的成功，這是一個非常好的經驗，（但）'94不是很好，不是隊內姣好的經驗，與教練，”伊爾格納說。

“所以我很失望的，這屆世界杯期間如何的事情了。

“每個人都更主動地對我們玩我們的團隊合作精神是不一樣的四年前的，和我們有不同的教練，屆時，玩家變老了，他們在自己的職業生涯的結束。”

戰敗標誌著IIlgner的第54和最後一個出場的德國，因為他從國家隊退役年齡只有27的比賽後。

“我計劃了下台世界杯（作為）再次贏家，但它並沒有制定出這樣的，”他說。

“也許我是辭職的權利後，我們失去了在94年對保加利亞最大的遺憾，現在我想我應該等待長一點，並想好了，我可以再打世界杯，甚至更​​多的國際比賽。”

德國將超生兩年後贏得了歐洲錦標賽在英格蘭，但IIlgner的重點是在別處那時。

評為年度1991年歐洲門將和德國從1989-93頂塞，他已經變得炙手可熱。

作為他的同胞走到著名的溫布利步驟解除亨利·德勞內獎杯，IIlgner是在西班牙敲定從科隆轉會到皇家馬德里 - 俱樂部更聞名於世界上最好的進攻球員花銷大。

 

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“這是一個巨大的成功對我來說，一個最大的俱樂部，皇馬，問我的服務 - 而我也很樂意簽下他們，”他說。

“他們來到了一個非常貧窮的季節，簽署了很多新的球員，新教練卡佩羅，誰想要我為他的門將，我們有一個夢幻般的賽季帶來了。

“我不得不苦戰兩個西班牙守門員在那裡得到的，但最終它是值得的。”

在科隆，IIlgner已經接近贏得冠軍，但他的身邊從來沒有比完聯盟第二高。他的首個賽季結束了科隆只是保級。

在馬德里，獲勝是唯一的選擇。二是相當於是第一個失敗者。

隨著IIlgner在他們的行列，皇馬將贏得西甲兩次，以及兩個歐洲冠軍聯賽冠（雖然門將是一個未使用的替代這些勝利在2001年第2期）。

“我很喜歡我的時間在皇馬有耶羅，卡洛斯，西多夫，DAVO蘇克，米賈托維奇，勞爾，這是太棒了，”他說。

“我很享受能與這些球員有這樣的品質和漂亮的，漂亮的小伙子......我非常喜歡。”

麥克背後

今天，IIlgner仍然是參與足球運動，雖然他已經把他的手評論於北美廣播公司貝因運動。

豪爽的他的意見和有見地的，他分析，從球場到電視屏幕上的轉變一直是無縫的。

IIlgner定期涵蓋了西班牙，意大利和德國的聯賽，他的雇主，他覺得比大多數更有資格提供有關誰在2014年世界杯在巴西下個月開始提防的預測。

“在巴西，他們希望贏得這屆世界杯，並且可以衡量你的課程的肩膀上，我們要看看他們如何處理它，但我認為他們是大熱門，”他說。誰

“還有另外三四個最愛。德國當然，西班牙課程，作為世界杯冠軍（2010年）和黑馬可能是比利時和智利。

“阿根廷，不要忘了與梅西，他們有一個非常優秀的前鋒前期，是非常危險的一樣。”

不出所料，伊爾格納將生根為他的同胞。

“我們已經看到了非常堅實的，很不錯的德國隊因為德國在2006年的場在主場進行的世界杯，”他說。“夢幻足球，不同於我們用於在德國的足球。

“我們有很多心臟的發揮，有一個很大的權力，但是從2006年，我們有很多技術的發揮，有很多的精神。

“這一代需要一個冠軍，我認為這是最後的機會。現在有些球員年紀大了。拉姆是在右側背面的最好的球員之一，他是30。

“托馬斯·穆勒是最有天賦的球員之一，他還年輕，他可以做更多的世界杯，但施魏因斯泰格例如，在中場，30幾乎一樣好。

“這支球隊是老了 - 如果他們想要得到它必須是本賽季冠軍。”

如果勒夫的德國2014年的團隊正在尋找的建議，他們可以做的比服用一兩尖從話筒背後世界杯冠軍更糟。