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DFB apologizes: Frank Mill and RWE in the shadow of the obituary
The DFB apologizes for the lack of mention of Rot-Weiss Essen in the obituary for Frank Mill, who died.
DFB apologizes: Frank Mill and RWE in the shadow of the obituary
The football world mourns a legend: Frank Mill, former world champion and goalscorer, died on August 4, 2025 at the age of 67 as a result of a serious heart attack. While his great passion and commitment to sport were undisputed, there is now criticism of the way in which his memory was honored.
The German Football Association (DFB) had published an obituary notice in regional newspapers, but Frank Mill's hometown club, Rot-Weiss Essen, was completely unmentioned. Instead, only his positions at Borussia Mönchengladbach, Borussia Dortmund and Fortuna Düsseldorf were highlighted. This mistake caused great displeasure among Rot-Weiss Essen fans, who described it as “shameful”. DFB media director Steffen Simon immediately apologized for this “annoying mistake” and DFB managing director Andreas Rettig, himself a supporter of RWE, acknowledged that Mill should be properly recognized in the obituary. He also personally apologized to those responsible at the club, reports zeit.de.
Insight into Mill's career
Frank Mill was born in Essen in 1958 and made his professional debut in 1976 with Rot-Weiss Essen, where he played until 1981. During this time he scored an impressive 90 goals in 165 professional games and was top scorer in the 2nd division with 41 goals in the 1980/81 season. After his time in Essen, Mill moved to Borussia Mönchengladbach, followed by stints at Borussia Dortmund and Fortuna Düsseldorf. In his international career, he also shaped the German U21 national team and was part of the 1990 World Cup team in Italy. In addition, he won the bronze medal with the DFB team at the Olympic Games in Seoul in 1988, as reported by n-tv.
His last visit to Rot-Weiss Essen took place in May 2025, when he was at the home game against VfL Osnabrück on Hafenstrasse. The board of RWE, headed by Alexander Rang, expressed its deep condolences and acknowledged not only Mill's footballing achievements, but also his personality and his tireless commitment to football, according to rot-weiss-essen.de.
Now that Frank Mill has passed away, the question remains how we can preserve the memory of such great figures in the football world. The outcry among Rot-Weiss Essen fans shows that it's not just about performances on the pitch, but also about the roots, the clubs that have shaped the players. This incident should serve as a reminder to properly recognize the merits of each individual.