Horst Eckel, last of the 1954 World Cup winners, dies at 89

By CIARÁN FAHEY
AP Sports Writer

BERLIN (AP) — The last surviving member of West Germany’s 1954 World Cup-winning team has died. Horst Eckel was 89. The German soccer federation says Eckel died Friday. It did not give a cause of death. Eckel was one of only two West German players to play in every match as the team completed the “Wonder of Bern” by beating pre-tournament favorite Hungary 3-2 in the final. The soccer federation paid tribute to Eckel for marking Hungarian playmaker Nandor Hidegkuti “out of the game.” Eckel also won two league titles with Kaiserslautern.