The Fortuna Düsseldorf Files
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Tragic — Fortuna Düsseldorf

Toni Turek: “I didn’t have much luck in life.” Turek said that late in life – and understandably so when one looks at the years after his career.

Tragic

Toni Turek: “I didn’t have much luck in life.” Turek said that late in life – and understandably so when one looks at the years after his career.

Toni Turek: “I didn’t have much luck in

Toni Turek: “I didn’t have much luck in life.” Turek said that late in life – and understandably so when one looks at the years after his career.

Toni Turek: “I didn’t have much luck in life.” Turek said that late in life – and understandably so when one looks at the years after his career. Until 1973 he worked largely out of the public eye in the administration of Düsseldorf’s Rheinbahn. Then fate struck on a Sunday morning in September 1973. Toni Turek could no longer get up: paraplegia, apparently caused by a virus, though it was never fully clarified.

Years of suffering followed. Countless operations changed nothing for the better. In 1977 Turek took early retirement, sitting in a wheelchair or walking on crutches.

On 11 May 1984, the hero of Bern died after suffering a stroke. He was buried at Lindenheide cemetery in Mettmann.

Atli Edvaldsson: born in Reykjavík in 1957, the

Atli Edvaldsson: born in Reykjavík in 1957, the 1.95-metre striker came to Germany in 1980, initially to score goals for Borussia Dortmund.

Atli Edvaldsson: born in Reykjavík in 1957, the 1.95-metre striker came to Germany in 1980, initially to score goals for Borussia Dortmund. He scored 11 in 30 matches there. Fortuna then brought him to the Rhine, where he netted 112 times in 219 matches.

Once, with 21 goals, “the Viking” finished second in the scoring charts behind Rudi Völler’s 23. On 5 June 1983 he scored five times in a 5–1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt. Edvaldsson kept scoring until 1994 and later coached Iceland from 1999 to 2003. He died in autumn 2019 after a long illness at the age of 62.

Frequently Asked Questions

What tragic fates has Fortuna experienced?
The history of Fortuna Duesseldorf also has dark chapters — careers that shattered and fates that touch.
Were there tragic deaths connected to Fortuna?
Fortuna Duesseldorf has suffered painful losses. This chapter remembers the most tragic moments.
Which careers ended tragically at Fortuna?
From injury dramas to personal tragedies — the saddest stories.
What does Tragic cover?
Toni Turek: “I didn’t have much luck in life.” Turek said that late in life – and understandably so when one looks at the years after his career.
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