Franz Beckenbauer

Who is this?

Franz Anton Beckenbauer (German pronunciation: [fʁants ˈbɛkn̩ˌbaʊɐ] ; 11 September 1945 – 7 January 2024) was a German professional football player, manager, and official. Nicknamed der Kaiser ("the Emperor"), he is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential players of all time. Beckenbauer was a versatile player who started out as a midfielder, but made his name as a centre-back. He is often credited as having invented the role of the modern sweeper (libero). Twice named European Footballer of the Year, Beckenbauer appeared 103 times for West Germany, playing in three FIFA World Cups and two European Championships. He is one of ten players to have won the FIFA World Cup, the European Cup, and the Ballon d'Or. He is one of three men, along with Brazil's Mário Zagallo and France's Didier Deschamps, to have won the World Cup as a player and as a manager; he lifted the World Cup trophy as captain in 1974, and repeated the feat as a manager in 1990. He was the first captain to lift the World Cup and European Championship at the international level and the European Cup at the club level. He was named in the World Team of the 20th Century in 1998, the FIFA World Cup Dream Team in 2002, the Ballon d'Or Dream Team in 2020, the IFFHS All-time Men's Dream Team in 2021, and in 2004, was listed in the FIFA 100 of the world's greatest living players. In August 2024, the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) voted him as the third best footballer of the past 100 years after Pelé and Diego Maradona. At club level with Bayern Munich, Beckenbauer won the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1967 and three consecutive European Cups from 1974 to 1976. The latter feat made him the first player to win three European Cups as captain of his club. He became team manager and later president of Bayern Munich. After two spells with the New York Cosmos he was inducted into the US National Soccer Hall of Fame. Beckenbauer led Germany's successful bid to host the 2006 FIFA World Cup and chaired the organizing committee. He worked as a pundit for Sky Germany, and for 34 years as a columnist for the tabloid Bild, both until 2016. Beginning August 2016, he was investigated for fraud and money laundering in connection with the 2006 World Cup. The investigation was closed without a verdict in 2020 as the statute of limitations expired.

Career

1. 1945
   Born
2. 1964
   Joined Germany national under-18 football team
3. 1965
   Joined FC Bayern Munich
4. 1965
   Joined Germany men's national association football team
5. 1965
   Joined Germany national football B team
6. 1966
   Won German Footballer of the Year
7. 1977
   Joined New York Cosmos
8. 1980
   Joined Hamburger SV
9. 1983
   Joined New York Cosmos
10. 2009
    Won Order of Merit of North Rhine-Westphalia
11. 2024
    Passed away
12. Won Bavarian Order of Merit
13. Won Silbernes Lorbeerblatt
14. Won Bayerische Verfassungsmedaille in Gold

Trivia

• •Place of birth: Richard-Wagner-Straße 19 (München)
• •Citizenship: West Germany, Germany
• •Known as: association football player, association football coach, professional athlete, functionary
• •Sport: association football