Franz Beckenbauer, the World Cup-winning captain and coach, has passed away at the age of 78. “Der Kaiser” (The Emperor) led West Germany to glory in 1974 and 1990. Beckenbauer is credited with creating the modern role of the “sweeper” in football. “The Guardian,” the British newspaper, reported his death prominently along with a profile.
Franz Beckenbauer, widely considered one of the greatest footballers of all time and one of only three players to win the World Cup as both a player and coach, has died at the age of 78.
Beckenbauer, an iconic figure in German football, won 104 caps for West Germany, leading them as captain to glory in the 1974 World Cup before repeating the success as a coach in Italy 16 years later. He also won numerous other titles, including a hat-trick of European Cups with Bayern Munich in the mid-’70s, where he also established his reputation as a talented defender at the highest levels.
Nicknamed “Der Kaiser” (The Emperor), Beckenbauer was as elegant as he was dominant, and his assurance in ball possession allowed him to master the modern sweeper role. Moreover, he is credited with its creation. Beckenbauer’s life after retirement was marred by allegations of wrongdoing when, at the age of 71, he was questioned by Swiss prosecutors in March 2017 under suspicion of corruption related to the 2006 World Cup held in Germany.
Beckenbauer was the head of the organizing committee in 2000 and part of the bid committee for the competition.
If this was a dark period in Beckenbauer’s life, the other part was mostly glorious.
Born in Giesing, a working-class neighborhood in Munich, in September 1945, Beckenbauer grew up as a fan of TSV 1860 Munich but instead joined the youth group at the then-unfashionable Bayern Munich. He initially played as a forward and made his debut for the club in 1964 when they were in West Germany’s second division, playing as a left-winger. He eventually moved to central midfield, and after helping Bayern enter the Bundesliga, became captain before the 1968-69 season, leading them to their first championship title.
He became an inspirational figure and consistently outstanding for Bayern, leading them to a domestic treble between 1972-74, as well as three European titles between 1974-76. At the age of 20, he also made his debut for West Germany in a World Cup qualifying match in Sweden. The young talent excelled in a 2-1 victory that solidified his country’s position in the 1966 finals in England.
West Germany lost to the hosts at Wembley, but a golden era for the team was on the horizon, with Beckenbauer as captain and dominant defender, winning the 1972 European Championship before clinching the World Cup title on home soil two years later.