German footballer and manager Franz Beckenbauer, commonly known as “Der Kaiser,” showcased his versatility on the field. Initially a midfielder, he rose to prominence as a central defender and is widely acknowledged for pioneering the role of the modern sweeper.
Bio/Wiki
Age-78years
Height- 1.81 m
Weight-74 kg
Full name-Franz Anton Beckenbauer
Born-11 September 1945
Birthplace-Munich, Germany
Died- 7 January 2024
Death place-Salzburg, Austria
Spouse-Heidi Beckenbauer (m. 2006), Sybille Beckenbauer (m. 1990–2004), Brigitte Beckenbauer (m. 1966–1990)
Profession-German football player and manager
Dates joined- 1983 (New York Cosmos), 1980 (Hamburger SV), MORE
Position-Defender
Nationality-German
Family
Franz Beckenbauer’s parents were Franz Beckenbauer, Sr. and Antonie. He was born in the post-World War II ruins of Munich. Franz had a total of six siblings, namely Theresia Beckenbauer, Johann Beckenbauer, and four others.
Wife
He entered into matrimony three times, first with Brigitte Beckenbauer from 1966 to 1990, followed by his second marriage to Sybille Beckenbauer from 1990 to 2004. His third marriage was with Heidi Beckenbauer, solemnized in 2006.
Children
He was the father of four children: Thomas, Michael, Noel, and Francessca. Unfortunately, a fifth child, Stephan, who was a professional footballer, passed away on July 31, 2015.
Career
Beckenbauer marked his debut with Bayern in a Bundesliga promotion play-off against FC St. Pauli on June 6, 1964, showcasing his skills on the left wing. In his inaugural season in the Regionalliga Süd (the second tier in Germany at the time), 1964–65, the team clinched the league title, earning promotion to the Bundesliga. Renowned as a two-time European Footballer of the Year, Beckenbauer represented West Germany 103 times, participating in three FIFA World Cups and two European Championships. He shares the unique distinction with Brazil’s Mário Zagallo and France’s Didier Deschamps of winning the World Cup both as a player and manager. Beckenbauer lifted the World Cup trophy as captain in 1974 and repeated the feat as a manager in 1990. He was the first captain to achieve success in both the World Cup and European Championship at the international level, along with the European Cup at the club level.
Beckenbauer’s contributions extended to Bayern Munich, where he secured the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1967 and three consecutive European Cups from 1974 to 1976. His captaincy in the latter triumph made him the first player to lead his club to three European Cup victories. Transitioning to team manager and eventually president of Bayern Munich, Beckenbauer left an indelible mark. His global impact also included two stints with the New York Cosmos, leading to his induction into the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Instrumental in securing Germany’s bid to host the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Beckenbauer chaired the organizing committee. His post-playing career involved roles as a pundit for Sky Germany and a 34-year stint as a columnist for the tabloid Bild, both until 2016. However, in August 2016, an investigation into fraud and money laundering tied to the 2006 World Cup was announced. The case was closed without a verdict in 2020 due to the expiration of the statute of limitations.
Controversies
Beckenbauer’s Controversial Youth: A Ban and Redemption
In 1963, at the age of 18, Beckenbauer found himself embroiled in controversy when it was disclosed that his girlfriend was pregnant, and he expressed no intention of marrying her. As a consequence, he faced a ban from the West Germany national youth team imposed by the DFB. Only through the intervention of the team’s coach, Dettmar Cramer, was Beckenbauer eventually reinstated.
Tax issues
In 1976, Beckenbauer paid 1.6 million D-Marks in back taxes after using an invalid financial structure for tax shelter, following advice that proved ineffective. Bavarian Finance Minister Ludwig Huber, who attended Beckenbauer’s 30th birthday in 1975, allegedly provided tax advice, including the suggestion to move to Switzerland. Huber, also president of a state-owned bank, approved a 1 million D-Mark loan to cover the back taxes. In 1987, Beckenbauer was fined by Swiss authorities for tax evasion during his residence in Switzerland from 1977 to 1980. Seeking lower tax rates, he relocated to Austria in 1982.
FIFA inquiries and ban
In June 2014, Beckenbauer faced a 90-day ban from any football-related activity by the FIFA Ethics Committee. The ban was a result of his alleged refusal to cooperate with an inquiry into corruption regarding the allocation of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar. Beckenbauer contested the ban, citing his request for the questions to be in German and in writing. The ban was eventually lifted after Beckenbauer agreed to engage in FIFA’s inquiry. In February 2016, he was fined CHF 7,000 and warned by the FIFA Ethics Committee for his failure to cooperate with the inquiry in 2014.
Alleged bribe from Russia
In October 2019, Black Mirror Leaks released emails involving Russian MP Sergey Kapkov, revealing Beckenbauer and his adviser, Fedor Radmann, as recipients of €3 million for supporting Russia as the host of the 2018 World Cup. It was further claimed that both received an additional €1.5 million as success fees following the allocation of the 2018 World Cup to Russia.
Net Worth
At the time of his passing, Beckenbauer had an estimated net worth of $10 million.
Cause of Death
Franz Beckenbauer, a cherished figure in Germany renowned for securing victory in the World Cup as both a player and coach, passed away at the age of 78, as reported by the news agency dpa on Monday. Beckenbauer endeared himself to the nation with his affable charm.
“It is with deep sadness that we announce that my husband and our father, Franz Beckenbauer, passed away peacefully in his sleep yesterday, Sunday, surrounded by his family,” the family said in a statement to dpa, the German news agency. “We ask that we be allowed to grieve in peace and be spared any questions.”
The announcement did not disclose the cause of death. In recent years, the revered former Bayern Munich icon had faced health challenges.
In both 2016 and 2017, Beckenbauer underwent cardiac surgery twice. Additionally, in 2018, he underwent a procedure to insert an artificial hip.
