Soccer legend Franz Beckenbauer, widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport, has died at the age of 78, the German Football Federation (DFB) announced on Monday. Beckenbauer, only one of just three men to win the World Cup both as a player and a coach, earned the moniker “the Kaiser.”
This title aptly described his stylish and confident playing technique, as well as his innate leadership qualities. Beckenbauer guided West Germany to two World Cup victories, initially as a player in 1974 and later as a head coach in 1990. He also played for German Bundesliga side Bayern Munich from 1965 to 1997.
End of an Era
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The DFB described Beckenbauer as “one of the best players this sport has seen and a natural leader,” DFB said that Beckenbauer died on Sunday in Munich. However, no cause of death has been revealed as of now.
“It is with deep sadness that we announce that my husband and our father, Franz Beckenbauer, passed away peacefully in his sleep yesterday, Sunday, surrounded by his family,” the family said in a statement to DPA, the German news agency. “We ask that we be allowed to grieve in peace and be spared any questions.”
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Beckenbauer won two World Cups for West Germany, first as a player in 1974 and later as a head coach in 1990.
During his playing career, he excelled with the German Bundesliga team Bayern Munich from 1965 to 1977, securing five league titles and three European Cups.
In recent years, the legendary former Bayern Munich player had faced health challenges.
“The Bundesliga family is devastated to learn of the death of Franz Beckenbauer. A true icon, then, now, and always. RIP, Der Kaiser,” the Bundesliga wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Monday,
An Icon Is Gone
Beckenbauer, nicknamed “Der Kaiser” (“The Emperor”), was known for his role as a commanding and attacking defender, significantly influencing the sweeper position in football. “He was so elegant he wasn’t really German,” Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, a team-mate and later fellow administrator at Bayern Munich, said in a profile on the Bundesliga’s official website.
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“He just oozed class and quality.”
Beckenbauer played in 103 international matches for Germany, taking on the role of team captain in 50 of those games, the federation said. He also played a pivotal role in leading his country’s successful bid to host the 2006 World Cup.
Beckenbauer played a crucial role in establishing Bayern Munich as Germany’s leading club. On the international stage, he was instrumental in Germany’s rise as a football powerhouse. However, his last triumph, orchestrating the successful organization of the 2006 World Cup for Germany, somewhat overshadowed his legacy due to allegations of possible corruption in securing the hosting rights.
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Born in Munich in 1945, four months after the Second World War ended, Beckenbauer’s life and career were deeply rooted in the historical context of his birthplace.
“When I look at my life, I must have been born under a lucky star,” he said looking back.
The news of Beckenbauer’s death comes days after the announcement that Mario Zagallo, the Brazilian figure who achieved the distinction of being the first person to win the World Cup as both a player and coach, had died at the age of 92.
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In 2014, Beckenbauer was temporarily suspended from all soccer-related activities by FIFA’s ethics committee for failing to cooperate with prosecutor Michael Garcia’s investigation into alleged corruption related to the 2018 and 2022 World Cup votes. The suspension was lifted during the 2014 World Cup after Beckenbauer agreed to cooperate.
