Thursday 24 May 2012

Helmuth Duckadam-The Hero of Seville: European Cup 1986

Helmuth Duckadam-The Hero of Seville: European Cup 1986
Chelsea won the 2012 Champions League on penalties (4-3 against Bayern Munich). This is the perfect motivation to travel down memory lane! I bring you one of the most extraordinary penalty shootouts you'll ever see. The European Cup final of 1986 ( held in Seville), between Steaua Bucharest and Barcelona, had ended in a deadlock after regulation and extra time.The match had to be decided by penalties as usual. Time for a hero. 
Enters Steaua's goalkeeper, Helmuth Duckadam-who, incredibly, saved all the 4 spotkicks of the Spanish side!! Steaua only needed to convert 2 of their kicks-and were crowned Champions of Europe!! Duckadam was dubbed the Hero of Seville after this. 
Now you'd expect that this feat would be rewarded by the Romanians-you are right! 
On 25 March 2008, Duckadam was decorated by the president of Romania, Traian Băsescu, with Ordinul "Meritul Sportiv" — ("The Sportive Merit" Order - class II), for his part in winning the of 1986 European Cup. Two years later, on 11 August, he was named Steaua's president !! sunglasses smiley

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