TheCable

Back in 1990, Andreas Brehme was the Mario Gotze of his day – a German national hero basking in the glory of having scored the winner in the World Cup final.

Like in 2014, the opponent was Argentina and the final result was also 1-0.

But that’s where the similarities between Gotze and Brehme end.

Reports in Germany say the former Inter, Real Zaragoza and Kaiseslautern left back is now close to bankruptcy and as much as €200,000 in debt.

Franz Beckenbauer, his manager from that triumph in Italy, has now called on the soccer community to get behind Brehme.

“We have a responsibility to try to take him out of this situation. He has given a lot to German football, giving the title of world champions in the country. The German football should thank him for helping him now,” he told Corriere dello Sport.

But a former player has stepped in to offer Brehme a helping hand albeit an unattractive one.

Olivier Straube, who played under Brehme at SpVgg Unterhaching, has told his former coach that he can have a job at his company—cleaning toilets.

“We are ready to take Andreas on in our bathroom-cleaning business,” Straube said. “He will learn that what really counts is proper work and real life. It would help him improve his image. To me, that’s help.”

Brehme has not worked in football since a brief spell as assistant manager to Giovanni Trapattoni at Stuttgart in 2005.

He is facing a bankruptcy hearing in December.