His big dream was to return to the Olympic village with a medal around his neck and his players have helped make that come true for Horst Hrubesch. The fact that Germany's men football team made it all the way to the Maracana, Brazil's iconic football stadium, to play for the Olympic gold medal is all the more impressive when the issues that arose in the build up to this tournament are pointed out. Problems with players vacating their pre-season preparations at their clubs after a European Championship resulted in Hrubesch having just three training sessions with the team before they departed. But the tall and likeable former striker never complained and instead led "his lads" to the silver medal.
"It's not a bitter moment. I told the lads before the shoot-out that they've already accomplished something outstanding. We would exit the pitch as winners, not losers," Hrubesch told the media after his last game in charge as a DFB Team coach. "Obviously I would've liked to win the gold medal and the players as well of course, but I'm still happy. We've spend the last four days in the Olympic village and it's been a fantastic time."
And thus, Horst Hrubesch ends his coaching career with an Olympic silver medal and no one will argue that he is one of the DFB's greats, both as a coach and as a player. Knowing this, the 65-year-old can now withdraw to his farm near Hamburg and engage in his hobbies: Horse breeding and fishing. But he's not just looking forward to relax: "I'm not the type of person to sit at home, put his feet up and just go fishing all the time. Something will come up," he told Sport Bild.
His big dream was to return to the Olympic village with a medal around his neck and his players have helped make that come true for Horst Hrubesch. The fact that Germany's men football team made it all the way to the Maracana, Brazil's iconic football stadium, to play for the Olympic gold medal is all the more impressive when the issues that arose in the build up to this tournament are pointed out. Problems with players vacating their pre-season preparations at their clubs after a European Championship resulted in Hrubesch having just three training sessions with the team before they departed. But the tall and likeable former striker never complained and instead led "his lads" to the silver medal.
"It's not a bitter moment. I told the lads before the shoot-out that they've already accomplished something outstanding. We would exit the pitch as winners, not losers," Hrubesch told the media after his last game in charge as a DFB Team coach. "Obviously I would've liked to win the gold medal and the players as well of course, but I'm still happy. We've spend the last four days in the Olympic village and it's been a fantastic time."
And thus, Horst Hrubesch ends his coaching career with an Olympic silver medal and no one will argue that he is one of the DFB's greats, both as a coach and as a player. Knowing this, the 65-year-old can now withdraw to his farm near Hamburg and engage in his hobbies: Horse breeding and fishing. But he's not just looking forward to relax: "I'm not the type of person to sit at home, put his feet up and just go fishing all the time. Something will come up," he told Sport Bild.
