Cologne soccer icon Gerhard "Gerd" Strack died at the age of 64. As reported by the "Express", Strack succumbed to the consequences of a heart attack on Thursday. The former defender put on the Cologne jersey a total of 261 times between 1974 and 1985. Later he was under contract with FC Basel in Switzerland and Fortuna Düsseldorf until 1988. After his active career, Strack worked in several football schools across the Rhineland.
Strack's greatest successes were the triumphs in the DFB Cup in 1977, 1978 and 1983. In 1978 he was also the German football champion with the billy goats. In the years 1982 to 1984 he also appeared ten times in the jersey of the German national team and scored one goal. This goal in the decisive European Championship qualifier against Albania ensured the DFB team's participation in the European Championship in France in 1984.