German football great Franz Beckenbauer passes away aged 78
Football lost one of its greatest icons on Sunday, 7 January, with Franz Beckenbauer, popularly known as ‘Der Kaiser’ breathing his last age 78
Beckenbauer is widely remembered as one of the greatest to have ever graced the sport
He played a leading role in West Germany’s victory in the 1974 FIFA World Cup as a player
Beckenbauer would help West Germany win the coveted trophy 16 years later as well, only this time as a manager
Brazil’s Mario Zagallo, who died aged 92 on Friday, 5 January, is one of only two other players to have won the World Cup as player and coach
Beckenbauer also left a lasting legacy on Bayern Munich as a player as well as a coach and the club president
Beckenbauer’s legacy was somewhat tarnished after his alleged involvement in scandals surrounding Germany’s successful bid for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, though he would maintain innocence
His public appearances became increasingly rare as his health started to worse, with Beckenbauer undergoing heart surgery in 2016 and 2017
“Franz Beckenbauer was definitely the biggest German footballer of all time,” said German football vice-president Hans-Joachim Watzke in a tribute to the icon