Helmut Duckadam died earlier this week, aged 65, after a lifetime of vascular problems. He is the third footballer from the Stella team that won the European Champions Cup in 1986 to go down in legend. The climax, from the then opponent of the Romanians, FC Barcelona, also three players died, among them the goalkeeper of the Spaniards, Urruti, who fought from a distance with Duckadam in the penalty shootout.
Duckadam and Urruti, two legendary goalkeepers. The Truth Collage
Of the 26 players then present on the field, six died: 3 of the Romanians and 3 of the Spanish. Among the “speeders”, Helmut Duckadam, Ilie Bărbulescu, who died 4 years ago after suffering a heart attack in his sleep, and Lucian Bălan, who committed suicide in 2015 following a voluntary drug intoxication, are no longer among us.
On the other hand, Barcelona 1986 also lost three players. Marcos Alonso passed away last year after a tough battle with cancer. Angel Pedraza died in 2011, at only 49 years old, also following a terrible illness. The two former players were among the penalty kicks saved by Duckadam.
Urruti, died in a car accident
Along with them, Javier Urruticoechea, the other goalkeeper of the Seville final, died on May 24, 2001, aged 49, two months after he had met the legendary Duckadam in Bucharest, on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the final from Seville. “We all held each other’s arms and spent beautiful moments and told each other many things.
He knew that after that game in Sevilla I had problems with my shoulder and I could no longer continue my career at a high level. But I was shocked when I learned that just two months later, Urruti died in a car accident. I couldn’t believe that the man I had met only two months before was no longer among us”declared Helmut Duckadam in the past.
Urruti, who saved Majearu and Boloni’s shots in Sevilla, died in an accident after the car he was in hit a protective barrier, the former goalkeeper being thrown through the car’s windshield and dying on the spot.
Steaua – Barcelona 0-0, 2-0 on penalties
Star (4-4-2): Duckdam
– Iovan, Bumbescu, Belodedici, Barbulescu
– Majearu, BalanBoloni, Balint – Lăcătuș, Pițurcă. They also played: Anghel Iordănescu, Radu II.
Barcelona (4-4-2): Urrutia
– Gerardo, Migueli, Alexanko, Julio Alberto – PedrazaSchuster, Munoz, Marcos
– Carrasco, Archibald. They also played: Moratalla, Pichi Alonso.
