"Beckenbauer" redirects here. For the surname, see Beckenbauer (surname).
Franz Beckenbauer
Beckenbauer with West Germany in 1975
Personal information
Full name
Franz Anton Beckenbauer
Date of birth
(1945-09-11)11 September 1945
Place of birth
Munich, Germany
Date of death
7 January 2024(2024-01-07) (aged 78)
Place of death
Salzburg, Austria
Height
1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s)
Defender
Youth career
1951–1959
SC 1906 München
1959–1964
Bayern Munich
Senior career*
Years
Team
Apps
(Gls)
1964–1977
Bayern Munich
427
(60)
1977–1980
New York Cosmos
80
(17)
1980–1982
Hamburger SV
28
(0)
1983
New York Cosmos
25
(2)
Total
560
(79)
International career
1964
West Germany Youth
3
(3)
1965
West Germany B
2
(0)
1965–1977
West Germany
103
(14)
Managerial career
1984–1990
West Germany
1990
Marseille
1993–1994
Bayern Munich
1996
Bayern Munich
Medal record
Men's football
Representing West Germany (as player)
FIFA World Cup
Winner
1974 West Germany
Runner-up
1966 England
1970 Mexico
UEFA European Championship
Winner
1972 Belgium
Runner-up
1976 Yugoslavia
Representing West Germany (as manager)
FIFA World Cup
Winner
1990 Italy
Runner-up
1986 Mexico
UEFA European Championship
1988 West Germany
*Club domestic league appearances and goals
Franz Anton Beckenbauer (German pronunciation:[fʁantsˈʔantoːnˈbɛkn̩ˌbaʊɐ]ⓘ; 11 September 1945 – 7 January 2024) was a German professional football player, manager, and official. Nicknamed der Kaiser ("the Emperor"),[1][2] he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, and is one of nine players to have won the FIFA World Cup, the European Champions Cup, and the Ballon d'Or.[3] Beckenbauer was a versatile player who started out as a midfielder, but made his name as a central defender. He is often credited as having invented the role of the modern sweeper (libero).[4]
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 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.[5] 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.[6][7]
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.[8]
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.[9] Beginning August 2016, he was investigated for fraud and money laundering in connection with the 2006 World Cup.[10] The investigation was closed without a verdict in 2020 as the statute of limitations expired.[11]
^"Der Kaiser, the brains behind Germany". FIFA. Archived from the original on 9 April 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
^Lawton, James (3 June 2006). "Franz Beckenbauer: The Kaiser". The Independent. UK. Archived from the original on 27 February 2010. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
^Chakraborty, Sushan (21 December 2022). "9 legends who have won the FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League, and Ballon d'Or". www.sportskeeda.com. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
^"Franz Beckenbauer bio". ifhof.com – International Football Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 20 May 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2008.
^West, Jenna (15 July 2018). "Didier Deschamps Becomes Third to Win World Cup as Player and Manager". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on 20 May 2019. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
^"Pele's list of the greatest". BBC Sport. 4 March 2004. Archived from the original on 19 October 2018. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
^Cite error: The named reference wrldallt was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"Franz Beckenbauer – 1998 Inductee | National Soccer Hall of Fame". Franz Beckenbauer – 1998 Inductee | National Soccer Hall of Fame. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
^"Franz sagt Servus". Bild (in German). 20 December 2016. Archived from the original on 23 September 2018. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
^"Franz Beckenbauer investigated for corruption over 2006 World Cup". BBC News. September 2016. Archived from the original on 1 September 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
^"Franz Beckenbauer's trial for corruption charges ends without verdict". Sky Sports. Sky UK. 28 April 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
Franz Anton Beckenbauer (German pronunciation: [fʁants ˈʔantoːn ˈbɛkn̩ˌbaʊɐ] ; 11 September 1945 – 7 January 2024) was a German professional football...
The FranzBeckenbauer Cup was an annual friendly association football match named in honour of FranzBeckenbauer. It was organised by Bayern Munich before...
and going on to work with the club as a scout and youth coach. Beckenbauer's father, Franz, was also a footballer. He represented Bayern and the West German...
of greatest success in the mid-1970s when, under the captaincy of FranzBeckenbauer, they won the European Cup three consecutive times (1974–1976). Overall...
club has six honorary presidents, Franz John, Siegfried Herrmann, Kurt Landauer, Wilhelm Neudecker, FranzBeckenbauer, and Uli Hoeneß, the only living...
Germany's second FIFA World Cup. Five German players (Sepp Maier, FranzBeckenbauer, Wolfgang Overath, Jürgen Grabowski and Horst-Dieter Höttges) became...
was now the previous generation 3000GT, branded as "Beckenbauer Edition." Honoring FranzBeckenbauer. All were painted Lamborghini yellow and were equipped...
prior to 1942 the role was titled Reichstrainer ('Reich Coach'). FranzBeckenbauer and Rudi Völler could not be titled Bundestrainer, due to a lack of...
26 appearances. Brazil's Djalma Santos (1954–1962), West Germany's FranzBeckenbauer (1966–1974), and Germany's Philipp Lahm (2006–2014) are the only players...
16 goals, while Gerd Müller is third with 14. Former team captain FranzBeckenbauer is one of only three men to win the World Cup as a player and as a...
Müller finished as the tournament's top scorer with 10 goals. In 1971, FranzBeckenbauer became captain of the national team, and he led West Germany to victory...
runners-up once; both Helmut Schön (winner in 1974, runner-up in 1966) and FranzBeckenbauer (winner in 1990, runner-up in 1986) for West Germany, Carlos Bilardo...
Mönchengladbach), Herbert Zimmermann (Bayern Munich and 1. FC Köln), FranzBeckenbauer (Bayern Munich and Hamburger SV), Holger Willmer (1. FC Köln and Bayern...
final with Valencia in 2001, before retiring later that season. After FranzBeckenbauer and followed by Iker Casillas, he was only the second captain in the...
join the Bundesliga for the first season in 1963. Famous players as FranzBeckenbauer played for the club, but he had only 28 appearances. Uwe Seeler made...
players led by Franz John, the club had its period of greatest success in the middle of the 1970s when, under the captaincy of FranzBeckenbauer, they won...
Heesters (10), Sophia Loren (9), Maria Schell (8). Rock Hudson (6), FranzBeckenbauer, Pierre Brice (5), and Céline Dion (3). The Bambi originated in 1942...
coordinator at Bayern Munich until he was replaced by Stephan Beckenbauer, the son of FranzBeckenbauer, on 30 March 2012. His younger brother Jonas is also a...
Zidane and Kylian Mbappé. He was known for his partnerships with FranzBeckenbauer, Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck and Berti Vogts in defence for the national...
teams, won 107,539 votes, 1974 World Cup Champion with West Germany FranzBeckenbauer received 81,442 and Zinedine Zidane who scored twice for France in...
rough match was decided by a penalty kick taken by Andreas Brehme. FranzBeckenbauer achieved the feat to lose and then win a World Cup final each as player...
the second half, Bayern were more confident. In the 57th minute, FranzBeckenbauer passed to Gerd Müller, who was tackled by Osvaldo Piazza and the referee...
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