Franz Beckenbauer, known as the “God of Ball-playing” center-backs, has passed away. He represented Germany and Bayern Munich, a club where he made 427 appearances and scored 60 goals in that revolutionized center-back role, which changed the landscape of football forever.
Many fans and people from the football fraternity poured their love and paid tribute to the German legend, as he breathed his last on Sunday.
The German legend’s health had been deteriorating steadily as the last eight years had been a grueling period in his life since his son passed away in 2015. He underwent multiple heart surgeries and had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease in the latter stage of his life.
The legendary center-back played 103 international games for Germany and won the Prestigious European Cup three times in his illustrious career.
Beckenbauer won the FIFA World Cup twice and became champion, both as a player in 1974 and as a manager in 1990. He is one of the three players who won the World Cup as player and manager, alongside, French manager Didier Deschamps and Brazilian great Mario Zagallo.
He has won the coveted Bundesliga title four times and also has four DFB Pokal domestic German cups to his name during his career.
Germany’s icon was known as ‘Der Kaiser’ which translates as ‘The Emperor’ and is regarded as one of the greatest footballers in living memory.