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Dettmar Cramer dies aged 90

September 18, 2015

One of Germany's biggest football professors has passed away. Dettmar Cramer coached football all around the world and enjoyed defining success with Bayern Munich.

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Deutschland Dettmar Cramer Ex-Fußball-Trainer schwarz/weiß
Image: picture-alliance/Sven Simon

The German FA (DFB) and Bayern Munich revealed on Friday morning that Dettmar Cramer, known as the "Football Professor", died at home on Thursday. Cramer twice led Bayern Munich to European Cup glory in 1975 and 1976, as well as the Intercontinental Cup (the Club World Cup predecessor) in 1976.

"Bayern Munich mourns a great head coach and a special person," said Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge on Friday. Wolfgang Niersbach, head of the German FA, echoed Rummenigge's thoughts saying Cramer had been a "great head coach" and a "big personality."

"Dettmar Cramer was known worldwide as an ambassador for German football. His knowledge saw him treasured everywhere he went, and he was a likable, caring man who was full of life. I have a great respect for his life's work," said Niersbach.

Flash-Galerie Taktiktafel Fußball
Image: picture-alliance/dpa

Cramer started his coaching career at Teutonia Lippstadt before he started working with the Westphalia football association. After a short stint in Japan, he returned to Germany in 1964 and, along with Udo Lattek, he was an assistant coach to Germany's head coach Helmut Schön at the 1996 World Cup in England. Cramer also had stints at Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayer Leverkusen and Hertha BSC.

The two European Cup wins with Bayern Munich were his biggest success. Leading the likes of Franz Beckenbauer, Sepp Maier, Uli Hoeneß and Gerd Müller, Cramer molded the future and history of the club. In his work for both the German FA and FIFA, Cramer coached football in 90 countries around the world. In 2011, the German FA recognized Cramer's life's work with an award.

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