- The termination of a life devoid of boredom: demise of Christoph Daum
Recently, Christoph Daum wouldn't openly admit it, but his health had been declining dramatically. Sleepless nights and days filled with exhaustion became the norm for him. Chemotherapy treatments slowly sapped the limitless energy from the esteemed former coach's body.
Daum celebrated his 70th birthday
Despite this, he stood proudly in front of every microphone and declared, "I'm still fighting." Bravely, he persevered until his final breath. On August 24, 202X, the renowned Bundesliga figurehead succumbed to cancer, as announced by his family to the German Press Agency. Daum had reached the age of 70.
According to the statement, "Christoph Daum passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, due to his serious illness." His last days were spent at his Cologne residence, reunited with his loved ones. Public appearances were a thing of the past for him since then.
The diagnosis of lung cancer was made in the fall of 2022. Initially, he withdrew from the public eye, but ultimately, the resilient Daum emerged once again, giving interview after interview and making appearances on talk shows or podcasts. "Cancer attacked the wrong body," he would declare defiantly. In doing so, he aimed to inspire others battling the same ailment.
Cancer became a symbol of Daum's life
From his childhood, Daum had fought adversity, standing up to bullies despite his diminutive stature and challenging FC Bayern and its manager, Uli Hoeness, as a young, unknown coach of 1. FC Cologne. His audacity almost brought down the Bundesliga's dominant team. Even later in life, Daum was up for any challenge.
However, the higher he soared, the harder he fell. Following his first Bundesliga title with VfB Stuttgart in 1992, he carelessly eliminated their qualification for the Champions League with a substitution blunder. The notorious Coca-Cola affair in 2000 also denied him the position of national coach, which he had firmly secured.
But Daum refused to let it bring him down. Time and again, he emerged from the ashes, winning titles in Austria and Turkey, bringing 1. FC Cologne back into the Bundesliga, and keeping them there. His words of encouragement echoed throughout his eventful life: "You can fall. It doesn't even matter how many times you fall. You just have to get back up." Only cancer kept him from standing still.
Daum remained uncomplaining
In the end, Daum's determination remained an awe-inspiring sight even to his companions. As late as October 2023, he danced the night away with many of them at his 70th birthday celebration in Cologne, accompanied by the lively tunes of "Höhner." His former world-class player, Michael Ballack, and DFB sports director, Rudi Völler, were among the guests, despite his continuing struggle with cancer. Daum never once complained about his condition.
As late as Völler, who had worked with Daum as sports director in Leverkusen, said, "It's amazing how Christoph uses his popularity to draw attention to his serious illness and offer a tiny glimmer of hope to those facing the same fate." Ballack emphasized, "Daum is not just a role model for many people during this challenging time."
Public reconciliation with Hoeness
Cancer even altered the perception many had of Daum prior to his illness. He was either admired or vilified, with few shades of gray in between. His handling of the illness earned him sympathy stretching beyond the world of sports. Even Hoeness, his former arch-nemesis, publicly reconciled with Daum and appeared with him in a TV documentary.
Regardless of how one remembered Daum: a quote machine, a provocateur, a motivator, a messiah, an almost-Bundesliga coach, or a perennial runner-up with Leverkusen - he was never anything but engaging. "Others raise their children bilingual, I do it on both feet," Daum once famously said. "The difference between good and excellent is often just a toe." And it's not just such quotes that will be missed in German football in the future.
Despite his battle with cancer, Daum continued to participate in interviews and talk shows, using his platform to inspire others dealing with the same illness. In a defiant stance, he declared, "Cancer attacked the wrong body."
Even during his 70th birthday celebration in Cologne, surrounded by loved ones and accompanied by lively music, Daum never complained about his health condition.
