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Willi 'Ente' Lippens Turns 80 as Rot‑Weiss Essen Honors a Ruhr Icon

The Bundesliga showman remains a Bottrop icon, his ranch and namesake restaurant reflecting a persona that endures.

Overview

  • Rot‑Weiss Essen is holding an official reception on Monday to celebrate the club great's 80th birthday.
  • Lippens made 242 Bundesliga appearances for Rot‑Weiss Essen and Borussia Dortmund, scoring 92 goals.
  • The winger earned a single international cap for the Netherlands, a consequence of his dual background and a family stance.
  • His 'Ente' nickname and the oft‑retold 'Ich danke Sie' referee exchange helped define his reputation as an entertainer.
  • He once lived in a room under Essen's old stadium stands for 30 Marks rent and later settled in Bottrop at the Lippens Ranch with a restaurant named 'Ich danke Sie'.