Obituary
Passed away aged 78. My old man who knew his football always swore he was the greatest of his era. Not Pele or Moore. The World Cup quarter final in Mexico was something Dad would always refer to as his finest moment as he single handedly turned the tide against England. Years ahead of his time. RiP
Sad news. Almost feels like the end of an era.
He was obviously a giant among footballers, but I remember warming to him as a person when he made that colourful remark about how you could put everyone from the German F.A. into a big sack and, if you hit it with a stick, you wouldn’t hit anyone who didn’t deserve it..
My brother-in-law had a (not very serious) rear-end collision once at a crossing in Munich. When the driver stepped out it was The Franz. His first words were, »Sorry, and I guess no chance for a hit-and-run in my case…« And when the insurance stuff was sorted he invited him for a beer. Top guy.
That’s a top story!
Yes, a supreme footballer ahead of his time.
2 of the only 3 players to have won the World Cup as a player and manager have died in the last few days (also Zagallo). i hope Didier Deschamps is ok.
Saw him, Gerd Muller, Sepp Maier and the rest of the great Bayern Munich
side of the early 70s came to Highfield Road and get played off the park
by Coventry in the Inter Cities Fairs Cup in 1971/2
Will not be missed by many Leeds fans after tbe European Cup final in 1975. Good player though.
Great player. This is a very good obituary by Brian Glanville.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/jan/08/franz-beckenbauer-obituary?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
I think the West Germany team of the 70s is underrated. As is German football of that period. If you go on YouTube and watch a Bundesliga game from the mid 70s, the quality seems to be notably higher than you’ll see in The Big Match from the same era.