Germany in mourning. The greatest legend of perhaps the most footballing country in Europe, the famous Franz Beckenbauer, died today at the age of 78 and left a great void in the hearts of true football fanatics.Because Kaiser Franz (Franz the Emperor) was the embodiment of a football icon. The man who won the World Cup both as a player and coach. He is one of only nine players who have won the World Cup, the EURO trophy, and the Balon d’Or.”It is with great regret that we inform the public that my husband, our father, Franz Beckenbauer, passed away last night peacefully, in his sleep, surrounded by his family. We plead with the public to allow us to grieve in peace and refrain from any questions,” the family said in a statement.Beckenbauer grew up as a supporter of Michen 1860, but fate would have it that he became a Bayern legend. With the Bavarian giant, he won the Bundesliga four times, the European Champions Cup three times, and the Cup Winners’ Cup once. Not to mention other trophies.Franz Beckenbauer as a player:🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 Bundesliga🏆🏆🏆🏆 DFB-Pokal🏆🏆🏆 European Cup🏆 European Championship 🏆 FIFA World Cup🏆 Cup Winners’ Cup🏆 Intercontinental Cup🏆🏆🏆 North American Soccer League🏆🏆 Ballon d’Or🏆🏆🏆🏆German Footballer of the YearFranz… pic.twitter.com/AXJjXrcF6f— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) January 8, 2024 However, Kaiser Franz did not deserve that nickname only because of the number of trophies. He was a player who changed football. He changed the role of the ‘libero’ in football (a center defender conquering the field). And at the peak of his career, he conquered the planet at the World Cup in 1974. Two years earlier, he also ascended the European throne.In later years, he went to the New York Cosmos with Pele to try to “sell” football to the Americans, albeit unsuccessfully, and then to play for Hamburger. After the failure at the European Championship in 1984, he immediately assumed the role of coach of West Germany – he didn’t even have a license, but Franz didn’t even have to have one – and played in the final against Argentina at the 1986 World Cup. He lost that match, but in 1990 he won against Diego Armando Maradona and the Gauchos.Franz Beckenbauer – One of the most complete players of all time.Rest In Peace Legend 🕊️pic.twitter.com/pH0Y0khfd1— Benji (@Cule_Ben) January 8, 2024 Then he led the Bayern team in a major crisis in the mid-90s of the last century, then he used his influence and charisma to bring the Germans the hosting of the World Cup in 2006, towards the end of his life he was an expert consultant for various media. There were also various accusations of corruption, but nothing could ruin his football image. He was the only defender with two Balon d’Or, the first center defender who was good with the ball and constantly pushed forward, indispensable in all elections for the best in history…Long live the Kaiser.No more howling from the Old Wolf: Lobo Zagallo, four-time World Cup winner, passed away
