Helmuth Robert Duckadam (born 1 April 1959) is a
Romanian retired
footballer who played as a
goalkeeper and the current president of
FC FCSB.
He was dubbed "the Hero of
Seville" due to his display in the
1986 European Cup Final, won by his main club
Steaua Bucureşti,
where he saved all four penalties against Barcelona in the penalty
shootout, for the first time in football history. He represented three
other teams in a 14-year senior career.
Duckadam regularly appears as a studio guest on
Digi Sport's "Fotbal Club" programme.
Born in
Semlac,
Arad County of
Banat Swabian descent, Duckadam started playing in his regional leagues, before moving to
FC UTA Arad in 1978 to become professional. He earned two full
caps for
Romania in 1982 and, subsequently, was signed by country giants
FC Steaua Bucureşti.
capital side to two consecutive
Liga I titles, was also between the posts for the
1986 European Cup final against
FC Barcelona, which was played in
Seville, on 7 May 1986. He saved four consecutive penalty shots in the
shootout, from
José Ramón Alexanko,
Ángel Pedraza,
Pichi Alonso and
Marcos, being the first one to do so in an official European competition. Steaua
won the shootout 2–0
and Europe's most important club trophy for the first time, and much of
the credit for the surprise victory was given to him; he scored one
goal for his main club, through a
penalty kick against
AFC Progresul Bucureşti in the
domestic cup.
[1]
In 1986, Duckadam suffered a rare blood disorder only few weeks after the Seville performance,
[2] and would only resume his career three years later, finishing it with lowly
Vagonul Arad in the
second division. According to a personal interview given in 1999, he had become a major with the
Romanian Border Police (
Poliția de Frontieră) in his hometown; additionally, he opened a football school in the city, named after himself.
[3]
On 25 March 2008, Duckadam was decorated by the
President of Romania,
Traian Băsescu, with
Ordinul "Meritul Sportiv"
– ("The Sportive Merit" Order – class II), for his part in winning the
1986 European Cup. Two years later, on 11 August, he was named Steaua's
president.