RIP Franz Beckenbauer

[Conil]

A true legend of soccer also known as the Kaiser.

Franz Beckenbauer: Germany football legend dies aged 78

Franz Beckenbauer won the World Cup with West Germany as a player in 1974 and a manager in 1990; Beckenbauer, nicknamed 'Der Kaiser', is a Bayern Munich legend; a Beckenbauer family statement read he "passed away peacefully in his sleep yesterday, Sunday, surrounded by his family"

Beckenbauer, nicknamed 'Der Kaiser', won the World Cup with West Germany as captain in 1974 and a manager in 1990.

The former defender is one of three men, along with Brazil's Mario Zagallo, who passed away this month, and France's Didier Deschamps, to have won the World Cup as a player and as a manager.

At club level, Beckenbauer is considered a Bayern Munich legend having won three successive European Cups with the German giants in 1974-76 along with four Bundesliga titles.

He also managed Bayern to Bundesliga glory in 1994 and a UEFA Cup triumph in 1996.

A family statement read: "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.

"We ask that you be able to grieve in silence and refrain from asking any questions."

Beckenbauer was famed for carving out his own role as a sweeper - now often known as a "Libero" - sitting slightly behind his team's defensive line and sweeping up any man or ball that broke through.

Beckenbauer also won an array of personal honours, including two European Footballer of the Year awards as a defender - a rarity at the time and still to this day.

Franz Beckenbauer: Germany football legend dies aged 78
Franz Beckenbauer won the World Cup with West Germany as a captain in 1974 and a manager in 1990; Beckenbauer, nicknamed Der Kaiser, is a Bayern Munich legend; a Beckenbauer family statement read he passed away peacefully in his sleep yesterday, Sunday, surrounded by his family

www.skysports.com

 

[jalimon]

Wow, what a week! Another legend of the game gone after Zagallo.

He was only 78 after all. My dad will be 84 shortly it begins to scare me a lot that I will have to live without him..

Franz was the pioneer of the 'Libero' sweeper position. Something I was never able to teach as a coach because it depends so much on great human decisions.

 

[Conil]

Wow, what a week! Another legend of the game gone after Zagallo.

He was only 78 after all. My dad will be 84 shortly it begins to scare me a lot that I will have to live without him..

Franz was the pioneer of the 'Libero' sweeper position. Something I was never able to teach as a coach because it depends so much on great human decisions.

I don't remember Zagallo, I remember other players like Rivelino, Garrincha. I thought 78 was young too, maybe he had something that we don't know about. When Franz showed up at some soccer event in these last years people were in awe.

In regards to your Dad, push yourself to apologize now to any wrongs (if any) my Dad passed at 87 and I regret many times that I wasn't able to thank him and tell him how much I appreciated his help and presence. When they're gone for some reason memories start popping up. We don't know when we go,

 

[Insidious Von]

Der Grosse Kaiser and Gaetano Scirea were both libero's. I consider Scirea the equal of Beckenbauer, he died in a car crash at age 36. Before that he piloted Italy to the 1982 World Cup, won the Champions Cup in 85 and the UEFA CUP in 84. He's been largely forgotten lately which is a real shame.

 

[Gators]

I played football since I was 4. Kaiser was my fav player. He was great in 1966 and afterwards. Never will forget with dislocate shoulder and how he played. Truly in top 5 players of all time. RIP and thanks for memories.

 

[jsanchez]

A true legend of soccer also known as the Kaiser.

Franz Beckenbauer: Germany football legend dies aged 78

Franz Beckenbauer won the World Cup with West Germany as a player in 1974 and a manager in 1990; Beckenbauer, nicknamed 'Der Kaiser', is a Bayern Munich legend; a Beckenbauer family statement read he "passed away peacefully in his sleep yesterday, Sunday, surrounded by his family"

Beckenbauer, nicknamed 'Der Kaiser', won the World Cup with West Germany as captain in 1974 and a manager in 1990.
...

RIP.
I remember both finals but the 1974 final is etched in my memory, when he won as a player
against the Netherlands and the formidable Johan Cruyff.

 

[mburner]

Attended many NY Cosmos games in the late 70s when he was still a formidable player on that team of aging world greats.

 

[Insidious Von]

The NASL made unilateral rule changes that FIFA did not condone. It turned into a full scale feud between FIFA and The United States Soccer Federation. The NASL's business plan was wreckless, it was akin to watching the ending of Vanishing Point. Beckenbauer, Johan Cruyff and Zico all missed out on the 78 World Cup. Der Kaiser could see the writing on the wall, NASL was sinking like the Titanic. Beckenbauer's last year may be his most memorable 1983.. Instead of going back to Munich he joined arch-rival SV Hamburg. They won the Bundesliga Title then defeated Juventus (winning his personal duel with Scirea) in the Champions Cup.

 

[K Douglas]

I saw him play when he was with the New York Cosmos. No doubt one of the greatest footballers ever. Unfortunately in his later years he was corrupt as fuck.