Clubs paid tribute to former East Germany striker Joachim Streich, who died early on Saturday at the age of 71.

Streich held the record for most appearances and goals scored for East Germany. He took part in the 1974 World Cup, scoring 2 goals in 4 matches.

The player scored 55 goals in 102 international matches for the East's soccer selection, as well as a total of 229 goals for Magdeburg and Hansa Rostock in the East German Oberliga.

Streich's stint with FC Magdeburg from 1975 to 1985 saw him win the FDGB Cup — the second most important national title in East German football — three times.

"We are stunned and mourn our club legend Joachim Streich, who passed away today at the age of 71 after a short, serious illness," the third division side tweeted.

"Joachim Streich will live on in the hearts of all club members and fans and the memory of "our record goalscorer" will be treasured forever," Magdeburg added in a post on its website.

The 'Gerd Müller of the East

In a statement on its site, Hansa Rostock, praised not only Streich's "excellent football skills," but also "his straightforwardness and sincerity."

"He will always be remembered for his open and direct manner — and his records will always be part of the history books of German football," the second-division club said.

Streich was nicknamed the "Gerd Müller of the East" — a reference to West Germany's top scorer with whom he shared a reputation for slyness in carving out goal-mouth opportunities.

He started out as a player for his home town side of Aufbau Wismar, which merged with another local side, Motor Wismar, while he was a player there to become present-day club TSG Wismar.

The Streich family said he had been undergoing treatment for an advanced stage of anaemia in recent weeks, and that he had been seriously ill for a long period.

rc/jcg (SID, dpa)