logo
Frank Mill dead at 67: World Cup winner dies after heart attack as tributes pour in

Frank Mill dead at 67: World Cup winner dies after heart attack as tributes pour in

The Irish Sun7 hours ago
The former striker starred for Borussia Dortmund for eight years
STAR DEAD Frank Mill dead at 67: World Cup winner dies after heart attack as tributes pour in
FORMER World Cup winner Frank Mill has died aged 67.
The German suffered a heart attack in May and passed away at 2:30 this morning.
Advertisement
2
Frank Mill earned 17 caps for West Germany during his playing career
Credit: Getty
2
Mill continued to be a popular figure among his former clubs after retirement
Credit: Getty
Mill was part of the West Germany squad that triumphed at Italia 90.
He earned 17 caps in total for his country, winning the World Cup and an Olympic bronze medal for Die Mannschaft.
German outlet Bild report that Mill suffered a heart attack while sitting in a car at Milan Malpensa Airport in late May.
The former striker had flown to Italy to participate in a documentary about West Germany's World Cup triumph 35 years ago.
Advertisement
It's reported that Mill had to be resuscitated by paramedics after he had stopped breathing for several minutes.
He was then airlifted to hospital, and had since been treated in German city Essen, his hometown.
Mill is survived by children Vanessa, Kevin and Max.
The former footballer began his career at Rot-Weiss Essen before being signed by Borussia Monchengladbach in 1981.
Advertisement
Following five successful years there he signed for Borussia Dortmund, where he would spend a further eight seasons.
Mill finished his playing career with a spell at Fortuna Dusseldorf between 1994 and 1996.
Harvey Elliott's classy three-word message to Harry Kane's 'heir' overheard on live TV after England beat Germany U21s
He had a spell as a director with Fortuna after hanging up his boots.
While he remained active in retirement, playing for Dortmund's veterans side as recently as last year.
Advertisement
Tributes have poured in for Mill from fans, while former club Fortuna Dusseldorf wrote on X: "Rest in peace, Frank Mill.
"As we learned this morning, our former player and manager passed away at the age of 67 due to the consequences of a heart attack.
"Our thoughts are with Frank's family & all those who were close to him."
Mill's first senior club added: "Rot-Weiss Essen mourns the loss of its former striker Frank Mill.
Advertisement
"The native Essener passed away in the night from Monday, August 4, to Tuesday, August 5, due to the consequences of a severe heart attack. He was only 67 years old.
"In total, Frank Mill, who joined RWE from Eintracht Essen in 1972 at the age of 14, played 165 professional matches (90 goals) for Rot-Weiss. Rest in peace, legend!"
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Ademola Lookman ‘goes on strike' at Atalanta and refuses to attend training as furious ‘broken promises' row erupts
Ademola Lookman ‘goes on strike' at Atalanta and refuses to attend training as furious ‘broken promises' row erupts

The Irish Sun

time5 minutes ago

  • The Irish Sun

Ademola Lookman ‘goes on strike' at Atalanta and refuses to attend training as furious ‘broken promises' row erupts

An interested club are expected to come back with a third offer Not Look-ing good Ademola Lookman 'goes on strike' at Atalanta and refuses to attend training as furious 'broken promises' row erupts ADEMOLA LOOKMAN has gone on strike from Atalanta training after accusing the club of broken promises, according to reports. It comes after the attacker blasted the club's actions over "many months of broken promises" about his future. Advertisement 3 Ademola Lookman has gone on strike from Atalanta training Credit: Getty 3 Lookman accused the club of 'months of broken promises' Credit: Getty Lookman, 27, released a lengthy statement regarding his current feelings about his treatment on Sunday evening. And following the statement, the London-born footballer has refused to turn up to training for the Serie A club. According to Sky Sports Italy he has missed two days of training after handing in a transfer request. Atalanta have insisted they will not sell the Nigeria international to another Italian club, despite Inter Milan submitting a bid worth more than £32m including add-ons. Advertisement READ MORE IN FOOTBALL Football tragedy Ex-Prem ace and Mourinho Champions League winning Porto captain dies at 53 The Bergamo outfit are understood to want £43.4m (€50m) to sell the winger, with interest also coming from Napoli and Atletico Madrid. Luca Percassi, the Atalanta's chief executive, said the club would allow Lookman to leave, but only for a club outside of the Italian top flight. Percassi said: "The pact with Lookman was made a year ago, when we refused a €20m offer from PSG. "The club is always careful when evaluating the value and timing of its players, but as always, it is Atalanta, the club, that decides." Advertisement BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK Lookman came through Charlton's academy before featuring for Everton, RB Leipzig, Fulham and Leicester before ending up in Italy in 2022. In his social media statement over the weekend, he had said: "I hope to work together with the club to find an amicable solution for all parties as soon as possible. Dele Alli tipped for Rangers switch | Transfers Exposed 'Over the past three years at Atalanta, I've given absolutely everything. Not just as a footballer, but as a person. Advertisement "I've always worn the shirt with pride and tried to represent this club and the city of Bergamo with heart, passion and dedication. "I came here with the hope of helping this special club grow and together, we've created memories that will stay with me forever. "Winning the Europa League and standing shoulder to shoulder with my team-mates that night in Dublin celebrating with our fans was one of the proudest moments of my career so far. "It still gives me goosebumps thinking about it. Atalanta, and especially its supporters, have become a part of me. Advertisement "This place has felt like home from the moment I arrived, and I've always tried to repay that love - even in moments where things haven't been easy behind the scenes. "That's what makes writing this so hard. I have loved every moment but feel that now, after three wonderful years in Bergamo, it is the right time to move on and experience a new adventure. "There have been numerous clubs approach Atalanta in the past and I have previously always stayed loyal. "However, myself and the ownership of the club have been in agreement that now is the right time and the club were clear with me that if a fair offer came in they would allow me to move. Advertisement "Despite now receiving an offer in alignment to what I believe had been discussed sadly the club are blocking the opportunity for reasons I do not understand." Lookman, who scored a hat-trick in the 2024 Europa League final to win Atalanta's first piece of European silverware went on to confirm he had put in a formal transfer request. He added: "To the fans - the heartbeat of this club - I want to say this: I'm truly sorry it's come to this. "I hope you can understand this incredibly difficult situation. It's simply about standing up for what I believe is fair and right. Advertisement "The support you have always given me has been incredible and the bond we have created together is special. With love and gratitude, Ademola." 3 TRANSFER NEWS LIVE - KEEP UP WITH ALL THE LATEST FROM A BUSY SUMMER WINDOW

Wallabies can take heart from Lions series for litmus Tests against South Africa
Wallabies can take heart from Lions series for litmus Tests against South Africa

Irish Times

time35 minutes ago

  • Irish Times

Wallabies can take heart from Lions series for litmus Tests against South Africa

If Australian rugby is to take a key learning from the British and Irish Lions tour and adopt a credo for the upcoming Rugby Championship and the road to the 2027 World Cup, Will Skelton nailed it at half-time on Saturday: 'We don't take no itshay.' Skelton's performance was as big as he was in the Wallabies' stirring victory in Sydney. But Skelton's fighting words to his team - 'Keep fighting. Keep fighting for each other. Keep fighting for the jersey' - and the pig Latin catchcry that followed was a crudity that offered perfect clarity to Joe Schmidt's team. By taking no shit from the Lions – showing aggression, attacking from every angle, hurting their enemy in mind and body – Australia rattled their opposition and won ascendancy. Unlike in Brisbane where they found fire only when 24-5 down, or Melbourne where they let the initiative slip when leading 23-5, the Wallabies this time showed the ruthless edge fans have waited so long for, leading for all 80 minutes. As they set their jaws for the flight to South Africa on Friday and twin litmus Tests against the world champions, Australia should be confident of upsetting rugby's number one side. The Springboks have only lightly tuned up for this series with two cantered victories against Italy and one over Georgia. Conversely, the Wallabies are fit and full of fire after smashing the Lions and finding their mongrel mojo. READ MORE The touring squad Schmidt names on Thursday must be as bold as his Sydney 23. He will be without his two first-pick outhalves, with young Tom Lynagh ruled out with another concussion after being illegally cleared out by Dan Sheehan in Sydney, and Noah Lolesio out for the season with a neck injury sustained in the Fiji Test in July. He may also lose his preferred scrumhalf Jake Gordon to the hamstring twinges that cost him an appearance in the third Test. That means the axis of attack in South Africa will again fall to unfamiliar alchemies being forged in the Test furnace. ​​Ben Donaldson will get his chance to start at number 10, after coming off the bench in Brisbane and Sydney, with veteran James O'Connor, 35, the likely wildcard. Nic White's call to retire post-Sydney inspired his side but the little general might be needed for two last outings against the Springboks. Bundee Aki is tackled by Australia's Rob Valetini during the second Test at the MCG in Melbourne. Photograph: William West/AFP via Getty Images Vitally, Rob Valetini will tour. But it is Skelton's name that must be first on the team sheet. Without him and Valetini in the Lions opener in Brisbane, Australia looked timid and tepid. Yet in every minute Skelton was on the field in the Tests that followed, the Wallabies were bossing the scoreboard. Skelton neatly encapsulates the enigma of Australian rugby this past decade. Born in New Zealand to Samoan parents, he was raised in western Sydney and played rugby league for most of his early years before finding union in his mid-teens. Unlike most, he stuck at it, was brought into the Waratahs fold by mentor Michael Cheika aged 21 (his second start was against the 2013 Lions) and won a Test debut in 2014. Skelton's size 17s walked out on Australia in 2017. With Saracens in the English Premiership and, more recently, La Rochelle in France's Top 14, he has since won four Champions Cup medals in Europa. For six years, as Australian rugby hit the skids and their biggest stars joined the exodus overseas, Skelton existed as the Wallabies' lost colossus. Not until 2021 – 1,814 days after his last Test – did he return to the XXXXL gold jersey. A mixed bag of international cameos since then has gradually roused the sleeping giant. Yet at age 33 he has played only 33 Tests. This fortnight has shown the power Skelton wields to inspire his team-mates while intimidating their enemies. Now the big man is rolling, the juggernaut must continue. Schmidt is schmoozing Skelton to delay his return to France to fly on to South Africa. And Rugby Australia chiefs, chief executive Phil Waugh and high performance boss Peter Horne, have told the coach there is 'no impediment to select whoever he wants' from Australians playing around the world. Horne says the Giteau Law – in which only overseas players with 60 Tests could be selected for Test duty – is 'redundant'. Former Wallaby Quade Cooper has long reckoned, 'if we want to compete with the world we need to select the world's best players, regardless of where they play'. It is likely too late to keep three stars of the Sydney Test from heading abroad – Taniela Tupou is joining Racing 92 while man of the match Tom Hooper is off to Exeter and Langi Gleeson to Montpellier – but after years of selecting only home-based talent and not stars plying their trade abroad, the gates are at last open to the barbarians. That includes Skelton. With him at the helm, Australia can challenge South Africa at home, put Argentina to the sword in Townsville and Sydney and even wrest back the Bledisloe Cup from New Zealand for the first time since 2002. And that's no itshay. – Guardian

Jorge Costa, captain of Jose Mourinho's Porto 2004 Champions League winners, dies aged 53
Jorge Costa, captain of Jose Mourinho's Porto 2004 Champions League winners, dies aged 53

The 42

timean hour ago

  • The 42

Jorge Costa, captain of Jose Mourinho's Porto 2004 Champions League winners, dies aged 53

JORGE COSTA, who captained FC Porto to Champions League glory in 2004 under Jose Mourinho, has died aged 53. Costa suffered a cardiac arrest at Porto's training ground today, the club have said, paying tribute to 'a key figure in the club's history'. 'The legendary FC Porto captain and current director of professional football, passed away this Tuesday following a cardiopulmonary arrest,' the club said in a statement. The former Portuguese international defender collapsed on Tuesday morning at the club's training ground. He was rushed to hospital, where he died shortly after arriving, according to local media. Advertisement Costa spent most of his playing career with the club, winning eight league titles and the Champions League in 2004 under Jose Mourinho. He played 50 times for the Portuguese national team. José Mourinho explains the difference between a captain and a leader, using Jorge Costa as an example. Farewell, Jorge Costa. 🕊 — IM🇵🇹 (@Iconic_Mourinho) August 5, 2025 He belongs to the golden generation of Portuguese players who won the 1991 U20 World Cup, alongside Luis Figo. 'It's a shock,' Prime Minister Luis Montenegro wrote on social media, hailing Costa as 'an example of dedication and commitment'. Porto's rivals Benfica and Sporting Lisbon also paid tribute. 'Portuguese football is poorer,' Benfica said in a statement, saluting 'a key figure in football and national sport, first as a player, then as a coach, and, more recently, as a manager'. – © AFP 2025

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store