Bruno Pezzey
Pezzey in 1978
Personal information
Full name Bruno Edmund Pezzey
Date of birth (1955-02-03)3 February 1955
Place of birth Lauterach, Austria
Date of death 31 December 1994(1994-12-31) (aged 39)
Place of death Innsbruck, Austria
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
1965–1973 FC Lauterach
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1973–1974 FC Vorarlberg 28 (3)
1974–1978 Wacker Innsbruck 129 (19)
1978–1983 Eintracht Frankfurt 141 (27)
1983–1987 Werder Bremen 114 (18)
1987–1990 Swarovski Tirol 86 (6)
Total 498 (73)
International career
1975–1990 Austria 84 (9)
Managerial career
1991–1993 Austria U-21 (assistant)
1993–1994 Austria U-21
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Bruno Edmund Pezzey (3 February 1955 – 31 December 1994) was an Austrian professional footballer who played as a defender.

Club career

Regarded as one of Austria's greatest defenders of all time, Pezzey started his professional career at local side FC Vorarlberg and moved to FC Wacker Innsbruck after only one season, winning two league titles and a domestic cup. The sweeper then joined Eintracht Frankfurt in 1978,[1] winning the UEFA Cup and a DFB-Pokal. Four seasons with Werder Bremen did not bring him any silverware (but runner-up to the league title twice) and he returned to Innsbruck in 1987 to win two league titles and a domestic cup again.

International career

Pezzey made his debut for Austria in June 1975 against Czechoslovakia and was a participant at the 1978 FIFA World Cup and 1982 FIFA World Cup.[2] In the latter tournament, he scored Austria's first goal in the 2–2 draw with Northern Ireland in Madrid. He earned 84 caps, scoring nine goals,[3] still in 2016 ranked fifth with Friedrich Koncilia in Austria's all-time appearances list.[4] His final international appearance was an August 1990 friendly match against Switzerland.

Death and legacy

Pezzey died of heart failure in an Innsbruck hospital on New Year's Eve 1994 after participating in a game of ice hockey, just a few weeks short of his 40th birthday.[5] He left behind his wife and two daughters. His youth club, FC Lauterach, named its sports complex in his honour.[6]

Honours

Wacker Innsbruck

Eintracht Frankfurt

Swarovski Tirol

References

  1. ^ Arnhold, Matthias (9 June 2016). "Bruno Pezzey - Matches and Goals in Bundesliga". RSSSF. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  2. ^ Bruno Pezzey – FIFA competition record (archived)
  3. ^ Stokkermans, Karel (9 June 2016). "Bruno Pezzey - International Appearances". RSSSF. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  4. ^ "Austria - Record International Players". RSSSF. 29 February 2012. Archived from the original on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  5. ^ Hübner, Peter (2 January 1995). "Trauer um Österreicher Pezzey" (in German). Berliner Zeitung. Archived from the original on 21 September 2012. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  6. ^ "Sportanlage Bruno Pezzey" (in German). FC Lauterach. Retrieved 19 December 2012.

External links

1980–81 kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season
1985–86 kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season
Austria squad – 1978 FIFA World Cup
Austria squad – 1982 FIFA World Cup
Authority control databases
Categories