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Tributes have been paid to Franz Beckenbauer, widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, and one of only three men to win the World Cup as a player and manager, following his death at the age of 78.
Beckenbauer is an icon of German football. He won 104 caps for West Germany and led them to victory at the 1974 World Cup before repeating the feat as manager in Italy 16 years later. He also won numerous other accolades, including a hat-trick of European Cups with Bayern Munich in the mid-1970s, when he also established his reputation as a defender of supreme talent, so much so that he became widely known as The Emperor.
His family confirmed the news in a statement to the German news agency DPA. "It is with deep sadness that we announce that my husband and our father, Franz Beckenbauer, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Sunday, surrounded by his family," the statement said. "We ask that we may grieve in silence and not be interrupted by questions."
Lothar Matthäus, Beckenbauer's captain at the 1990 World Cup and also a close friend, told German newspaper Bild: "The shock is deep, even though I knew Franz was not feeling well. His death is a loss for football and for Germany as a whole. He was one of the greatest as a player and coach, but also off the field. Franz was an outstanding personality - not only in football - and he enjoyed worldwide recognition. Anyone who knew him knows what a wonderful and generous person Franz was. A good friend has left us. I will miss him - we will all miss him."
Rudi Völler was also part of the 1990 World Cup-winning squad. In tribute to Beckenbauer, the former striker and current DFB director of the senior national team wrote on the German Football Association website: "I consider it one of the great privileges of my life to have known and experienced Franz Beckenbauer. Our time together with the national team was culminated in the 1990 World Cup title in Rome, a title that would never have been possible without his outstanding coaching achievements.
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"With Franz Beckenbauer, German football loses its greatest personality. I am losing a good friend."
Gary Lineker, who was part of the England team defeated by Beckenbauer's Germany in the 1990 semi-final, said: "I am very sorry to hear of the death of Franz Beckenbauer. One of the absolute greats of our game. Der Kaiser was the most beautiful footballer who won everything with grace and charm. REST IN PEACE."
Sir Kenny Dalglish paid his own tribute, saying: "It fills me with deep sadness to hear of the passing of Franz Beckenbauer, a true icon of the game. It was a privilege to share one of my proudest moments with him when he presented my 100th cap for Scotland. My thoughts are with him and his family at this time. RIP the Kaiser."
Beckenbauer was as elegant as he was dominant, and such was his security in possession that he mastered the role of the modern sweeper, or libero. What's more, he is credited with creating it.
Beckenbauer's post-playing life has been marred by allegations of misconduct, with the then 71-year-old being questioned by Swiss prosecutors in March 2017 over suspected corruption related to the 2006 World Cup, which was held in Germany. Beckenbauer led the first bid in 2000 and was part of the competition's organizing committee.
If that was a dark period in Beckenbauer's life, the rest was largely glorious.
Beckenbauer was born in September 1945 in Giesing, a working-class district of Munich, and grew up a fan of the Munich of 1860, but instead joined the youth academy of the then old-fashioned Bayern. Originally a centre-forward, he made his debut for the club in 1964, when they were in the second tier of West Germany, as a left winger. He eventually moved into midfield and after helping Bayern gain promotion to the Bundesliga, he was made captain ahead of the 1968-69 season, leading them to the top-flight title at the first time of asking.
He became an inspirational and always outstanding figure for Bayern, leading them to a hat-trick of domestic titles between 1972 and 74, as well as those three European titles, between 1974 and 76. At the age of 20, he also made his debut for Western Germany away to Sweden in a World Cup qualifier. The youngster starred in a 2-1 win that sealed his country's place in the 1966 final in England.
West Germany went on to lose to the hosts at Wembley, but a golden era for the country was ahead and with Beckenbauer as captain and dominant defender they won the 1972 European Championship before going on to win the world title, on home soil, for two years . later on.
After winning further accolades, including the Ballon d'Or in 1972 and 1976, Beckenbauer retired from playing in 1984 after a stint with the New York Cosmos in the North American Soccer League. That same year he was appointed manager of West Germany, despite having no previous coaching experience. That didn't matter, however, as Beckenbauer led his country to the final of the 1986 World Cup and then to the trophy itself at Italia 90. He joined Brazil's Mario Zagallo and achieved world success both on the touchline and on the pitch. Frenchman Didier Deschamps would achieve the same feat in 2018.
There followed a brief spell in charge of Marseille in France before Beckenbauer returned to Bayern and led the club to the Bundesliga title in 1994 and the UEFA Cup two years later. Beckenbauer was also president of Bayern and vice-president of the German Football Association.
"The world of FC Bayern is no longer what it was: suddenly darker, quieter, poorer," said a tribute from Bayern. "The German record champions mourn Franz Beckenbauer, the unique 'Kaiser' without whom FC Bayern would not have become the club it is today."
Suddenly our world is not the same as it used to be: darker, quieter and worse off. The record champions mourn the loss of Franz Beckenbauer, the incomparable 'Kaiser' without whom FC Bayern would never have become the club it is today.
Rest in peace, Emperor.
- FC Bayern Munich (@FCBayernEN) January 8, 2024
A brilliant player and manager, Beckenbauer's legacy has been somewhat tarnished by the aforementioned corruption allegations. The trial against him ended in April 2020 without a verdict. In 2014, he was also handed a 90-day ban by FIFA for failing to assist an investigation into alleged corruption in the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids. He was part of FIFA's executive committee that handed out the awards.
Beckenbauer's death comes just under three months after the passing of Sir Bobby Charlton. The pair were, quite coincidentally, given the responsibility by their respective managers to mark each other in the 1966 World Cup final. It led to muted performances at Wembley, but overall there was no doubt about their outstanding contributions to their country and to football as a whole.
"Franz Beckenbauer could float on the lawn. As a football player and later also as a coach, he was sublime. He was above everything," said current Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann. "An aura surrounded him until the end, which even the health problems and fates he faced could not shake off.
"I am grateful and proud that I was able to get to know him and will remember him with great pleasure."