Franz Beckenbauer: “You have to see death as a friend”

When news of Franz Beckenbauer’s (1945-2024) death broke on January 7, 2024, the football world stood still for a moment. And not only the small cosmos in Germany mourned, but the loss of an absolute icon was mourned around the world. With the “Kaiser”, German sport lost by far its greatest personality – a man who shaped German football like no other and international football like no other over six decades.

His unprecedented career began in the not very glamorous streets of Munich’s working-class district of Giesing. As the son of a postal worker, young Franz initially played for SC 1906 Munich before – after the legendary, fateful “Watschn” – he moved not to the then much larger TSV 1860 Munich, but to FC Bayern. There he developed into an elegant libero who set new standards with his style of play. He was called “The Emperor” – a nickname that is still inextricably linked to him today.

Success became his constant companion: as a player he won everything there was to win. World champion in 1974, European champion in 1972, three times the European Cup with FC Bayern, four times he was German champion, four times DFB Cup winner. But that’s not all: as team boss, he led the German national team to the World Cup title in 1990. A feat that only Mario Zagallo (1931-2024) and Didier Deschamps (56) have achieved so far. He also became German champion as Bayern coach and won the UEFA Cup. He also won the French championship with Marseille.

Perhaps Beckenbauer achieved his greatest achievement as a football official: as head of the bidding committee and later the organizing committee, he brought the 2006 World Cup to Germany and shaped the “summer fairy tale” that enchanted an entire country. “The sun was shining from the sky for four weeks – that was no coincidence,” he said at the time with his typical wink.

A year after his death, the legacy of the “Emperor” is still omnipresent. The Allianz Arena in Munich will now be located at Franz-Beckenbauer-Platz 5, and his jersey number 5 will no longer be given out at FC Bayern. The German Supercup will now bear his name. One or two communities outside of Munich that are associated with him are also currently thinking about Franz Beckenbauer streets and squares. The name will continue to shape Germany.

“When Franz Beckenbauer entered a room, the room lit up,” recalls current national coach Julian Nagelsmann (37). This special aura made him the “lighting figure” of German football. Despite all his successes, he always remained the charming Munich native who won people over with his calm manner.

After his father’s death, his son Joel emphasized: “At home he was never the emperor, but the best dad.” This human side made Beckenbauer special – alongside all his sporting successes. At the big memorial service in the Allianz Arena in January 2024, around 30,000 people said goodbye to their “emperor”. “No one will ever reach him,” said his long-time companion Uli Hoeneß (73) in tears at the time.

Franz Beckenbauer himself faced death with his characteristic calmness: “It will come at some point, and no one can hide. You have to see death as a friend that accompanies you into another life,” he once said. And if he were to be reborn? “Then as a cymbal builder.” After all, he was “a Sunday child spoiled by luck” who came “from nowhere.” Just like a real figure of light…