Football mourns its emperor: Franz Beckenbauer is dead. The greatest German sports legend died on Sunday at the age of 78, as his family announced to the German Press Agency.
Beckenbauer was also one of the greatest in football worldwide, he became world champion as a player and coach and brought the 2006 World Cup to Germany. He was the much-praised figure of light. “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. “We ask that you be able to grieve in silence and refrain from asking any questions.”
His sporting family reacted with dismay. “Franz Beckenbauer is the greatest personality that FC Bayern has ever had,” said Bayern Munich’s honorary president Uli Hoeneß, who became world and European champions together with Beckenbauer. “As a player, coach, president, person: unforgettable. Nobody will ever reach him. People can say they saw football in Franz Beckenbauer’s time. He was a friend to me, a unique companion – and a gift to all of us. Dear Franz, rest in peace!”
Bayern’s former CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said that Beckenbauer “rewrote the history of German football and had a lasting impact”: “As a personality, he impressed with his great respect for all people – because before Franz everyone was equal. German football is losing the biggest personality in its history.”
The Federal Chancellor and Federal President express their condolences
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) found words of appreciation: “Franz Beckenbauer was one of the greatest footballers in Germany and for many ‘the emperor’ – also because he inspired enthusiasm for German football for generations,” wrote Scholz on the short message service X, formerly Twitter . “We will miss him. My thoughts are with his family and friends.”
Federal President Steinmeier also expressed his condolences to Heidrun Beckenbauer on the death of her husband. This was “an exceptional phenomenon,” “the word libero in its entire meaning seems to have been invented for him,” wrote Steinmeier and praised Beckenbauer as an “outstanding ambassador for our country.”
Mourning in the football and sports world
There is also great sadness in the rest of the football and sports world. “The Emperor was a great person, a friend of football, a champion and a true legend. We will never forget you, dear Franz, thank you for everything,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
“One of the greatest footballers in the history of FC Bayern has unfortunately left us. Rest in peace, Emperor Franz,” said Bayern star Thomas Müller. “The shock is deep, even though I knew that Franz wasn’t feeling well,” Lothar Matthäus told “Bild.” In 1990, Matthäus was captain of the team that won the World Cup in Italy under team boss Beckenbauer.
Bernd Neuendorf described Beckenbauer’s death as a “real turning point”. With his lightness, his elegance and his overview, he “set standards on the field,” explained the DFB President. “Franz Beckenbauer leaves a great legacy for the DFB and football as a whole.”
DFB sports director Völler “infinitely sad”
Sports director Rudi Völler, who, like Matthäus, was world champion under Beckenbauer in 1990, said: “I am incredibly sad, the news of his death affects me very much. I consider it one of the great privileges of my life to have known and experienced Franz Beckenbauer.” And national coach Julian Nagelsmann said: “For me, Franz Beckenbauer was the best footballer in German history.”
Thomas Weikert, head of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), said: “As a player, coach and personality, Franz Beckenbauer has thrilled and impressed fans around the world. German sport bows farewell to the emperor.”
Beckenbauer redefined the role of the libero
Beckenbauer came to FC Bayern as a junior player and quickly rose to become a top performer for the Munich team. The boy from the Giesing district won, among other things, four national championship titles, was three times winner of the European Cup and World Cup winner.
With his elegance and lightness on the field, he redefined the role of the libero and crowned his career by winning the home World Cup in 1974. Two years earlier he had already led the German European Championship winning team.
After a few years in the USA with Cosmos New York, where he played in a legendary team with Pelé, Beckenbauer returned to Germany and won another championship title with Hamburger SV in 1982.
Great successes as a DFB coach too
After the preliminary round exit at the 1984 European Championships, he became team boss at the DFB even without a coaching license and led the national team straight into the 1986 World Cup final against Argentina (2:3). Four years later, they achieved revenge against Diego Maradona with the World Cup triumph in Rome
Beckenbauer resigned – not without leaving his successor Berti Vogts with a heavy burden of claiming invincibility. Beckenbauer returned to FC Bayern as a coach when his Munich team was in crisis in the mid-1990s.
The DFB used his charisma and polyglot brilliance in its bid for the 2006 World Cup. The summer fairy tale became Beckenbauer’s highlight as an official – and at the same time difficult for him personally. There were allegations when dubious payments became public. Former top German politicians defended Beckenbauer in the scandal surrounding the 2006 World Cup.
The accusations surrounding the awarding of the World Cup with dubious payments of millions are leaving a late aftertaste for Beckenbauer’s impressive life’s work. In the summer of 2019, the Swiss Federal Prosecutor’s Office separated the proceedings against him from those of his co-accused on suspicion of fraud. Ultimately, like the case against three close companions from the summer fairy tale era, it came under the statute of limitations.
