Franz Beckenbauer: German legend was one of football’s most important figures
Franz Beckenbauer, who has died aged 78, stands comparison with any of football’s legendary figures, both as player and manager.
‘Der Kaiser’, a contemporary, friend and rival of England’s 1966 World Cup-winning duo Bobby Moore and Sir Bobby Charlton as well as Brazil’s Pele, was part of a golden group of world-class players – including the great Netherlands star Johan Cruyff – who bestrode the game in the 1960s and 1970s.
Beckenbauer captained West Germany to World Cup victory in his home country in 1974 when the Netherlands were beaten in the final in Munich.
He replicated the feat as manager when Argentina were overcome in the 1990 final in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico, making up for the disappointment of losing to a Diego Maradona-inspired side in the final in Mexico four years earlier.
It made him one of only three men, along with France’s Didier Deschamps and Brazil’s Mario Zagallo – who died last week – to win the World Cup as player and manager.
A superb player who made the transition from outstanding midfielder to visionary defensive sweeper with ease, Beckenbauer was also captain of the Bayern Munich team that won the European Cup three seasons in succession in 1974, 1975 – when Leeds United were controversially beaten in Paris – and 1976.
Beckenbauer was already marked out as a future superstar when he faced England in the World Cup final at Wembley in 1966 as a 20-year-old, a performer of such supreme quality that Sir Alf Ramsey ordered Charlton to shadow him.
West Germany coach Helmut Schoen gave Beckenbauer similar orders, thus two great talents effectively cancelled each other out as England won 4-2.
Their paths would cross again as revenge came for West Germany four years later in the heat of Leon in Mexico, when Beckenbauer and Charlton were key figures in the World Cup quarter-final.
Charlton was commanding the game but was substituted just after Beckenbauer pulled a goal back to reduce England’s 2-0 lead. It was believed Ramsey was protecting his ageing talisman from the heat and for a potential semi-final.
The change became one of the most fateful of Ramsey’s reign as Charlton’s departure allowed the shackles to be released from Beckenbauer, who inspired West Germany’s comeback to win 3-2.
They lost 4-3 to Italy after extra time in the semi-final but Beckenbauer took centre stage once more, playing on with his right shoulder in a sling after suffering a dislocation, both allotted substitutes having been used.
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