Franz Beckenbauer: Stars like Messi and Beckham bow

Franz Beckenbauer (1945-2024) is considered an absolute shining light and legend in world football, and not just in Germany. All over the world his name is mentioned in the same breath as Pelé (1940-2022), Diego Maradona (1960-2020) and Co.: the very greatest this sport has ever seen. It’s not just in this country that the protagonists of football bow to the emperor’s life’s achievements. International sympathy for the death of Franz Beckenbauer is also huge.

Among other things, Argentine superstar Lionel Messi (36) posted a picture of Franz Beckenbauer to express his sadness. He wordlessly shared an iconic black and white image of Beckenbauer in the German national team jersey on his Instagram stories and only wrote the four letters QEPD for “Que en paz descanses”. In English: “May you rest in peace.”

David Beckham speaks out

There is also great sadness on the British Isles, the motherland of football. Former England star player David Beckham (48) wrote: “So sad to have lost a special person, a special player and a true gentleman.” The former star striker also expressed his condolences. Franz Beckenbauer was “one of the greats of our sport”. He won everything with “grace and charm”.

The current coach of the French national team, Didier Deschamps (55), also expressed his condolences in a written statement. He was lucky to have sat at the same table with the “giant” Beckenbauer: “Franz Beckenbauer was a highly respected personality who embodied the high standards of the best.” A second France legend also reported: Michel Platini (68). Beckenbauer stood for “elegance, friendliness and friendship,” he said in a TV interview with the broadcaster Europe 1. Because of Beckenbauer, Pelé, Johan Cruyff (1947-2016) and Bobby Charlton (1937-2023), he only got involved with him Started playing football. The Kaiser was an epitome of class on and off the pitch.

In Spain, among others, former Real Madrid star Sergio Ramos (37) said goodbye to the emperor. In one of his Instagram stories, he posted a picture of himself and Beckenbauer and spoke of him as a legend and pioneer. He is a role model for all generations of defenders after him. Barcelona legend Andrés Iniesta (39) also posted a picture of Beckenbauer in the Instagram stories and simply wrote: “Rest in peace”. The former Bayern player and current Leverkusen coach: “Rest in peace, Emperor!”

Italian football also bows to Franz Beckenbauer. For example, former world-class defender Fabio Cannavaro (50) posted a picture of the emperor and left a “RIP” in his Insta stories. Two participants in the match of the century at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico also spoke out in Italian newspapers. At that time, Germany ultimately lost 3-4 to Italy in the semi-finals. Roberto Boninsegna (80), who scored to make it 1-0, spoke of Beckenbauer as a “director and leader of a great team”. The emperor belongs in the Olympus of the greatest of all time.

The world press honors Franz Beckenbauer

Striker Gianni Rivera (80), however, noted that Beckenbauer was the greatest German footballer of all time. Despite the DFB team’s bitter defeat (Rivera scored the winning goal), he said goodbye after the game: “He was a great gentleman, even off the pitch.”

In addition to personal expressions of mourning, the international press also bows to Franz Beckenbauer. The tabloid “The Sun”, which is otherwise not particularly friendly when it comes to German football, wrote of a “legend forever”. Beckenbauer is without a doubt one of the greatest players of all time. The Italian “Gazetto dello Sport” explained the “legendary status” of Beckenbauer, who was below God in this country but above the Chancellor. His charm was limitless, as was his influence on football and on society. The renowned “Tuttosport” also confirmed that Beckenbauer would always remain “one of the greatest players in football history”: “An icon and a German hero.”