His international career began in October 1954 at the age of 17, in 1961 he became captain of the national team - an office he retained until his resignation in September 1970. He took part in four World Cups (1958, 1962, 1966, 1970), sharing the experience with Pélé but never winning a title. However, he set a record of 72 games (with 43 goals to his credit). He held this record until it was broken by Lothar Matthäus in 1998.
His international titles are as impressive as the national ones: Fourth Place at the World Cup 1958; Second at the World Cup 1966; Third at the World Cup 1970; Second at the Cup-Winners' Cup 1968.
He resigned from soccer in 1972, coming back once to play for Cork Celtic FC against Shamrock Rovers FC, scoring both of the goals for Cork - he is said to have assumed that it was a friendly. He then became an Adidas representative and was President of the HSV from 1995 through 1998, taking moral responsibility and resigning for a financial scandal in which he was not implicated.
One of the most famous pictures of Seeler is when he is leaving the pitch at the 1966 World Cup final, shoulders hunched, depressed posture. However, the band did not play after the game, the picture must have been taken at half time, and Uns Uwe only wanted to bend over to tie his shoelaces.
He remains a German icon, one of the most respected Germans nationally and internationally, never having forgotten his roots and remaining married to the sweetheart of his youth (in 1959).