Ahead of Germany’s FIFA World Cup 2026 group-stage clash against Ecuador, FIFA honoured a man who has become as much a part of the tournament’s history as some of the players he has covered.

German journalist Hartmut Scherzer, now 88, was presented with a miniature FIFA World Cup trophy in recognition of an extraordinary milestone-his 17th FIFA World Cup as a working reporter.

The award, presented by FIFA Media Relations at the NYNJ Stadium, recognised a career spanning more than six decades of football journalism.

Why did FIFA honour Hartmut Scherzer?

Scherzer is attending his 17th consecutive FIFA World Cup, a streak that began at the 1962 tournament in Chile.

Having covered every World Cup since then, he has reported on nearly every defining era of modern football-from Pelé’s dominance in the 1960s to Diego Maradona’s brilliance in the 1980s and Lionel Messi’s crowning moment in Qatar in 2022.

Ahead of Germany’s match against Ecuador, FIFA presented him with a mini World Cup trophy to celebrate his remarkable dedication to covering the sport.

Who is Hartmut Scherzer?

Born in 1938, Scherzer is one of Germany’s most respected football journalists.

Beyond football, his résumé extends across some of the world’s biggest sporting events. According to Italian publication *La Gazzetta dello Sport*, he has also attended 21 Olympic Games since 1964 and covered 33 editions of the Tour de France.

Even at 88, he continues travelling across continents to report from football’s biggest stage.

A standing ovation from Julian Nagelsmann and fellow journalists

Earlier in the tournament, Scherzer received an emotional reception during Germany’s pre-match press conference in Houston.

As he stood up to ask head coach Julian Nagelsmann the opening question, the room erupted into applause. Nagelsmann himself joined reporters in acknowledging the veteran journalist before answering his question.

The moment quickly became one of the most heartwarming off-field stories of the tournament.

The World Cups that defined his career

Having covered 17 tournaments, Scherzer has witnessed some of football’s most iconic moments firsthand.

He has seen Germany lift the World Cup three times-in 1974, 1990 and 2014-and watched legends such as Pelé, Johan Cruyff, Diego Maradona, Ronaldo Nazário, Zinedine Zidane, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi shape football history.

Asked which World Cups stand out the most, Scherzer picked West Germany 1974 and Mexico 1986, describing Maradona’s famous dribbles as “art.”

His least favourite? The 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan, which he described as “a logistical nightmare.”

His greatest players

Having watched generations of football’s biggest stars, Scherzer still considers Pelé the greatest player he has seen.

When asked to name Italy’s finest footballer, he was presented with a list that included Paolo Maldini, Francesco Totti, Gianni Rivera, Paolo Rossi, Alessandro Del Piero, Fabio Cannavaro, Marco Tardelli and Roberto Baggio.

His answer was immediate.

“Stop. Roby is Roby,” he said, choosing Baggio above the rest.

What keeps him going?

Despite decades of travelling the globe, Scherzer says his motivation has never changed.

Asked what inspires him to continue taking long-haul flights to cover another World Cup at the age of 88, his answer was simple:

“Passion. Only and solely passion.”

With FIFA now formally recognising his extraordinary contribution to football journalism, Hartmut Scherzer has become more than just a reporter covering the World Cup-he is part of the tournament’s history itself.