SCORING IN THE FINAL: World Cup Heroes # 2

In this second installment of heroes who have scored in the World Cup Final, comes cards from the underrated German BERGMANN FUSSBALL series.

 

The heart of these early Bundesliga sets is the nucleus of German and Bayern Munich stars. The current German professional league only began in 1963. One of the first card sets was the 1965-66 Bergmann Fussball series.

 

The cards are on heavier stock and sized very close to modern standard baseball cards.

 

The making of a dynasty - the 1965 Bergmann Bayern Munich Team card.

 

The set contains mostly player portrait pictures with a few posed action shot. Also included are some excellent team photos (see above). The set marks the cardboard debut of Germany's finest generation in Franz Beckenbauer, Sepp Maier (Bayern) and Berti Vogts (Borussia Munchengladbach).

 

Another Bayern youngster that would go on to stardom was "Der Bomber" GERD MULLER.

Gerd Muller makes his card debut in the 1965 Bergmann.

 

Muller would set the world on fire by becoming the top scorer at the Mexico 1970 World Cup - with 10 goals.

 

 

He would amass 68 goals in just 62 appearences for Germany.

 

 

He broke all records in European and club scoring with 487 tallies in 555 top division matches.

 

He scored the winning goal for Germany in the 1974 World Cup Final.

 

 

1974 World Cup Star.

 

Here are some high lights of Der Bomber - complete with "um-pah-pah" music.

 

The 1970 European Footballer of the Year held nearly every scoring record in the World Cup and European Club play until the Brazilian Ronaldo and the Argentine Lionel Messi's recent successes.

 

I was able to pick up 4 of these Bergmann cards, all featuring Bayern Munich, for a very small price.

 

Notes: Last week's entry - PELE' - and this week's candidate - GERD MULLER, both finished their careers in America. Pele with the New York Cosmos, and Muller with the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers. Both clubs currently compete in the USA's 2nd professional division - North American Soccer League.

GERMAN GOLD ! FUTERA 1 of 1

While Germany is through to the semifinals of the EURO 2012 tournament, I waited for the mail to bring a promised soccer card. FUTERA is probably the highest end soccer cards in the world. Their production of 500 sets to fill the appetite of the entire globe makes their product rare if nothing else.

I was waiting on a replacement card for a returned 1 of 1 autograph. I had small expectations as this could be anyone from the recently sold Lionel Messi or Diego Maradona - both of which sold for over $4,000 on ebay to the lesser known players included in the run.

When my package arrived, I was happy to see a current German international THOMAS MULLER on the card. 

Muller was the Golden Boot inner at the 2010 FIFA World Cup as top goal scorer. He was also voted best young player of the tournament. Playing his club football at BAYERN MUNICH, he has already won 1 Championship and one German Cup title with the Bavarians. 

It may not be the most legible autograph, but much better than most of the modern ones I've seen. Having already immortalized himself as top scorer in a FIFA World Cup is great, but he is only 22 years old. Germany finished in 3rd place in 2010 and will end in no less than 4th place with the semifinals yet to be played.

I do not care for the design of the 2012 Futera Unique gold autograph cards. I actually like the ones form earlier years. But as a valued 1 of 1 cards go, this is a pretty sweet one to own.

Did I mention that the card is covered in 24 carat gold ? 

League Champions - Champions League ... season wrap up

The European football season came to a close on Saturday when Inter Milan (Italy) defeated Bayern Munich (Germany) for the UEFA Champions League title.

 Diego Milito score twice for the Italian side. With the European club season over, he furthers his chances as a starter for Argentina at this summer's World Cup.

Chelsea did well to win the double - the FA Cup and the Premier League in England. Frank Lampard (below) and Didier Drogba will star for England and the Ivory Coast respectively in South Africa 2010. 

The German power house Bayern Munich came up roses in the Bundasliga, but just short against Inter. Ribery was suspended for the Final but will surely be a factor for France in South Africa.

Inter Milan has to be the club of the season winning the "treble" - the Italian League, the Italian Cup and the Champions League.

Meanwhile, the heroics of Manchester United reject - Diego Floran propelled Atletico Madrid to the Europa League title over American Clint Dempsey's Fulham United. Floran will be a star to watch for Uruguay at the World Cup.

The flop of the season has to be Real Madrid which splashed out over $200 million dollars for just three players - Kaka', Cristiano Ronaldo and Karem Benzema - and won no trophies.

Season Winners:

Uefa Champions League: Inter Milan

Europa Cup : Atletico Madrid

England : Chelsea

FA Cup : Chelsea

France: Marseille

Fench Cup : Paris Saint-Germain

Germany : Bayern Munich

German Cup :  Bayern Munich

Scotland : Rangers

Scottish Cup : Dundee

Spain : Barcelona

Spanish Cup: Sevilla