Helmut Duckadam

Helmut Duckadam
Duckadam in 1986
Personal information
Date of birth (1959-04-01)1 April 1959
Place of birth Semlac, Romania
Date of death 2 December 2024(2024-12-02) (aged 65)
Place of death Bucharest, Romania
Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
1974–1975 Semlecana Semlac
1975–1977 Școala Sportivă Gloria Arad
1977–1978 UTA Arad
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1977–1978 → Constructorul Arad (loan)
1978–1982 UTA Arad 53 (0)
1983–1986 Steaua București 80 (0)
1989–1991 Vagonul Arad
1993–1994 CPL Arad
Total 133 (0)
International career
1979–1983 Romania U21 4 (0)
1982–1985 Romania B 2 (0)
1982 Romania 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Helmut Duckadam (Romanian pronunciation: [ˈhelmut dukaˈdam], sometimes spelled Helmuth; 1 April 1959 – 2 December 2024) was a Romanian professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Duckadam was dubbed "the Hero of Seville" due to his performance in the 1986 European Cup final, won by his club Steaua București, where he saved all four penalties against Barcelona in the penalty shootout, for the first time in football history. He represented four other teams in a 12-year senior career.