Edited By Sangeeta Das
German greatest football player of all time Franz Beckenbauer has passed away peacefully in his sleep at the age of 78, announced his family members. They also urged all to allow the family to grieve in silence and refrain from asking any questions.
Beckenbauer clinched the World Cup as a player for West Germany in 1974 and as a manager in 1990. Nicknamed Der Kaiser, he won the Ballon d’Or as a player twice and considered as a Bayern Munich icon.
Other than Brazil’s Mario Zagallo and France’s Didier Deschamps to have won the World Cup, Beckenbauer also accomplished it both as a player and a manager.
Beckenbauer started as a midfielder but swiftly rose to become prominent central defender. He metamorphosed into one of the first ball-players with an amazing strength and precision for defending and moving the ball.
With the Bavarian powerhouse, the player led Bayern to the UEFA Cup in 1996, clinched the European Cup three times besides winning the Bundesliga four times as a player and once as coach.
Beckenbauer achieved multiple personal accolades. These included two titles of European Footballer of the Year as a defender. To attain these feats were extraordinary at the time and currently.