He became a legend for having scored the winning goal in the final of the 1954 FIFA World Cup (West Germany vs. Hungary 3–2).

[2] He finished his career in 1965 because of a knee problem and, along with Hans Schäfer was one of the last members of the 1954 World Cup winning side to retire.

Germany, whose team members themselves were surprised to be in the final, was playing Hungary, who hadn't lost a single match for four years running up to the World Cup final, and had already beaten Germany 8–3 in the group stage earlier in the tournament.

Germany lagged behind 0–2 after only eight minutes, but then pulled it back to 2–2 with Rahn assisting the first German goal and scoring the second.

The ball whistled into the back of the net and Germany went on to win the game 3–2 over the apparently unbeatable Hungarian team.

[4] Rahn is allegedly the cousin of the grandfather of Kevin-Prince Boateng of the Ghana national football team.

[5] On 11 July 2004, 50 years after the Bern match, a lifesize statue of Rahn was put up near Georg-Melches-Stadium in Essen, on the square named after him.