For football fans in the 1970s Paul Breitner was without doubt the outstanding left-back, think Danny McGrain with a left foot and the ability to find the net.
At the age of 23 he scored in West Germany’s 1974 World Cup win over Holland to add to the European Cup winners medal he had just picked up by beating the boot boys of Atletico Madrid after a replay. In 1982 he scored again in the World Cup Final but Germany lost 3-1 to Italy in Madrid.
As everyone knows there is only one true international language, when you are in some distant land or enjoying some Mediterranean sunshine a mention of Celtic gets the conversation going.
We were on holiday a few weeks ago, and met a German couple,we got talking about football, I told them my fave German player was Paul Breitner,Hubert said I know him I’ll get him to send you a gift,this arrived this morning,the strips mine by the way.what do you think? pic.twitter.com/QMw9f5p49F
— tootingtims (@tootingtims) July 13, 2019
Henrik Larsson is probably the best known Celt of the last 20 years with one hoops fan getting into a detailed football conversation with a German on holiday.
Rolling back the years he explained how Breitner was his favourite all-time German player, with his then non hipster beard, afro and devilish left-foot capable of terrifying and fooling goalkeepers.
The German that was in conversation with Tooting Tim smiled and claimed to know Breitner personally, as you do.
A few weeks later a parcel arrived from Germany, inside was a special message from the German legend, don’t be surprised if the best left back of the seventies is soon pictured wearing his beloved hoops!
CLICK HERE to read about the career of Paul Breitner