Franz Beckenbauer, who has died aged 78, stands in comparison with any of football's most legendary figures, whether as a player or a coach.
A friend and contemporary rival of England's 1966 World Cup-winning duo Bobby Moore and Sir Bobby Charlton as well as Brazil's Pele, Der Kaiser was part of a golden group of world-class players – including Dutch great Johan Cruyff. – Who created the game in the sixties and seventies.
Beckenbauer led West Germany to victory in the World Cup in his home country in 1974 when the Netherlands lost in the final in Munich.
He repeated the feat as coach when Argentina were beaten in the 1990 final at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, making up for the disappointment of losing to a Diego Maradona-inspired side in the final in Mexico four years earlier.
This made him one of only three men – along with Frenchman Didier Deschamps and Brazilian Mario Zagallo – who He died last week – Winning the World Cup as a player and coach.
A remarkable player who transitioned from outstanding midfielder to visionary defensive player with ease, Beckenbauer was also the captain of the Bayern Munich team that won the European Cup three successive seasons in 1974, 1975 – when Leeds United suffered a controversial defeat in Paris – and 1976.
Beckenbauer had already marked himself as a future star when he faced England in the World Cup final at Wembley in 1966 as a 20-year-old, a performance of such high quality that Sir Alf Ramsay instructed Charlton to follow him.
West Germany coach Helmut Schoen gave Beckenbauer similar orders, and thus the two great talents effectively canceled each other out and England won 4-2.
Their paths crossed again when West Germany's revenge came four years later in the heat of Leon in Mexico, when Beckenbauer and Charlton were key figures in a World Cup quarter-final.
Charlton was controlling the match, but was substituted immediately after Beckenbauer reduced the deficit to reduce England's lead to 2-0. It was thought that Ramsey was protecting his aging talisman from the heat and for a potential semi-final berth.
The change became one of the most fateful of the Ramsey era as Charlton's departure allowed the reins to be released from Beckenbauer, who inspired a West German comeback to a 3-2 victory.
They lost 4-3 to Italy after extra time in the semi-final, but Beckenbauer was back in the lead again, as he continued to play with his right shoulder after a dislocation, and both of his allocated substitutes were used.
Honors quickly followed as West Germany became the game's leading force, winning Euro 72 after beating Russia 3-0 in Brussels, and their campaign included a historic 3-1 win over England at Wembley as they confirmed a clear victory. The edge is on Ramsey's side.
Beckenbauer's greatest glory came to West Germany in 1974 when he faced the genius captain Cruyff in the final. The Dutch were heavy favorites in the era of 'Total Football', but West Germany came from behind with a Johan Neeskens penalty goal after just two minutes to win 2-1.
His elegance as a player, combined with his gentlemanly and statesmanlike demeanor, made Beckenbauer one of football's leading figures. The World Cup triumph was accompanied by Bayern dominating the European game alongside other team-mates such as goalkeeper Sepp Maier, Berti Vogts, Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck, Paul Breitner, Uli Hoeneß, and the great predatory striker Gerd Müller.
There was a rare disappointment towards the end of his international career when West Germany surprisingly lost on penalties to Czechoslovakia in the 1976 European Championship final, the penalty shootout decided by Antonin Panenka's famous penalty kick, which has gone down in grassroots football history.
Beckenbauer made his debut for the Germany national team in September 1965. He played 103 international matches and scored 14 goals, and his name became synonymous with the team's fortunes.
He served as a striker and left winger in his formative years at club level, but his agility, strength, range of passing and leadership qualities marked him out as a natural midfielder, and later as one of the most prominent strikers in defence.
Beckenbauer was appointed captain of Bayern in the 1968–69 season, with the club winning its first Bundesliga that season and the European Cup Winners' Cup having already been won by defeating Rangers in the 1967 final in Nuremberg.
It was the beginning of an illustrious success story that would follow Beckenbauer throughout his playing career, with the great German serving as a pioneer when soccer was making its mark in the United States after he left Bayern and retired from international football.
Beckenbauer joined Pele and Moore in the United States, where he enjoyed great success playing alongside the iconic Brazilian for the New York Cosmos. He won the North American Soccer League (NASL) in 1977, 1978 and 1980.
The training was always coming and Beckenbauer was predictably in high demand, an ideal choice to lead his country, the road to a World Cup win in Italy in 1990 including a dramatic semi-final win over England on penalties in Turin, and beating someone. Another who became a great friend of Sir Bobby Robson.
Beckenbauer coached Marseille for a short period, but Beckenbauer's fate was to coach his beloved team, Bayern, and he won the German League in the 1993-1994 season and the European Cup in 1996 by defeating Bordeaux in two matches.
Beckenbauer's position was secured, as he became Bayern's president and vice-president of the German Football Association (DFB), leading their successful bid to host the 2006 World Cup. If German football wanted an ambassador and striker, Beckenbauer was the only choice.
But there was controversy when Beckenbauer was one of four men investigated over suspicions of corruption linked to the tournament. In 2020, The trial ended without a verdict.
Beckenbauer's reputation was forged as a player and coach, as he became one of football's most important and important figures on and off the field.
