FOOTBALL GREAT DER KAISER DIES AT AGE OF 78
BY
ELEGANT, brilliant and inspirational to millions of people across the world, Franz Beckenbauer was far more than just one of the greatest footballers of all time.
His behaviour on the pitch as well as his numerous triumphs helped to rebuild Germany’s battered reputation after the Second World War.
Beckenbauer, who has died aged 78, is one of only three men to have won the World Cup as a player and a manager.
The sublime defender seemed to be able to sweep up any mess on the field, but with his personal life he did not “sweep his mistakes under the carpet”, according to a team-mate.
Beckenbauer, nicknamed Der Kaiser – the Emperor – was regarded as Germany’s finest ever sportsman.
He became good friends with Bobby Charlton who he manmarked in the 1966 World Cup Final at Wembley, when England beat West Germany 4-2.
The two all-time greats maintained their close relationship until Sir Bobby’s death three months ago, aged 86.
Beckenbauer suffered ill health for several years. He had Parkinson’s, dementia and heart problems.
Liverpool legend Sir Kenny Dalglish said: “It fills me with deep sadness to hear about 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.”
Former England striker Gary Lineker said Beckenbauer was “the most beautiful of footballers who won it all with grace and charm”.
Ex-scotland midfielder Paul Lambert said Der Kaiser made his role as sweeper look so ridiculously easy “he could have kept his suit on most of the time”.
Lothar Matthäus, who played under Beckenbauer as their nation won the World Cup in 1990, said: “His death is a loss for football and for Germany.
“Everyone who knew him knows what a great and generous person Franz was.”
Beckenbauer’s former Germany teammate Paul Breitner said: “He did everything a German is not supposed to do.
“He got divorced, he left his children, took off with his girlfriend, got into trouble with tax collectors and left his girlfriend again.
“But he is forgiven for everything because he’s got a good heart. He’s a positive person and always ready to help.
“He doesn’t conceal his weaknesses, doesn’t sweep his mistakes under the carpet.” Beckenbauer, whose dad was a postal worker, was born in 1945, shortly after the end of the war.
He grew up in a working class suburb of Munich and joined the Bayern Munich youth side as a teenager in 1959 before making his debut for the senior team in 1964.
He started as a midfielder before moving into defence. He is credited with
inventing the role of the modern sweeper.
He played with a dislocated shoulder in the 1970
World Cup before captaining
West Germany as they won the tournament on home soil in 1974.
The following year, he upset Leeds United fans when he tripped Allan Clarke in the area in the European Cup final – but no penalty was given – and his protests led to a goal being controversially ruled out for offside. Beckenbauer was married three times. Firstly to Brigitte from 1966 to 1990, then Sybille from 1990 to 2004, then Heidi from 2006 until his death.
One of his five children, footballer
Stephan, died in 2015 aged 46 from a brain tumour. It left Beckenbauer with regrets he had concentrated too much on his career over his family.
He said in 2005: “I was a bad father because I was never there.”
In a statement yesterday, his loved ones said: “It is with deep sadness we announce that my husband and our father, Franz Beckenbauer, passed away peacefully in his sleep, surrounded by his family.”
Beckenbauer loved travelling and visited all 31 nations that qualified for the World Cup in Germany in 2006.
He got the urge to travel as a child by collecting for a sticker album.
He said: “There were photos from Africa, America.
“It got me interested… but I never thought I’d experience it personally. There are many who travel but who see nothing because they are too busy. I was always curious.”
After his years with Bayern Munich, winning the European Cup three times, he played for New York Cosmos alongside Pele, who said the two toughest opponents he ever faced were Beckenbauer and England great Bobby Moore. Beckenbauer’s life in later years was marred by accusations of wrongdoing.
In 2014 he was briefly suspended by FIFA’S ethics committee from all football-related activity for failing to co-operate with a prosecutor’s probe of alleged corruption in the 2018 and 2022 World Cup votes.
His financial controversies included paying a huge sum in back taxes in Germany in 1976 and a fine in Switzerland in 1987 for evading tax while living there in the 1970s.
But fans forgave his errors. Germany manager Rudi Voller said: “With Beckenbauer, German football is losing its greatest personality.”