Overview
- Borussia Dortmund announced that Wolfgang Paul died on Sunday, June 28, 2026 after a long illness and described him as a club icon.
- Club president Hans-Joachim Watzke and CEO Carsten Cramer issued statements mourning Paul and offering condolences to his family.
- As captain and central defender Paul helped Dortmund win the 1963 German championship, the 1965 DFB-Pokal and the 1966 Cup Winners’ Cup, the last being the first European club title for a German team.
- Paul retired around age 30 after a serious knee injury following roughly 237–240 appearances and later worked as a watchmaker jeweler in the Sauerland while remaining closely tied to BVB.
- He served for decades as chairman of the club’s elders’ council, was named the club’s first Ehrenspielführer in November 2024, and is survived by his wife Almuth, two daughters and grandchildren while funeral details have not yet been released.