Franz Anton Beckenbauer, nicknames der Kaiser, is a former German international football player who used to feature prominently during the 1960s and 1970s. He played as a sweeper and is considered a German and world football legend. He won the World Cup both as a player and as a coach and was named by Pele in March 2004 as one of the 125 greatest living footballers. Many regard him as the greatest ever German footballer.
Franz Beckenbauer was a versatile footballer who could feature as a midfielder and also as a sweeper. He was known for his leadership qualities and technique. He developed at the youth academy of German powerhouse Bayern Munich and made his debut for the first team for the Bavarians in 1964. Beckenbauer went onto feature in 427 league matches for Bayern, scoring 60 goals. He won the German Bundesliga four times with Bayern and also won the European Cup three times in a row between 1974 and 1976. He also won the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup while at Bayern in 1967 and was adjudged the European Footballer of the Year in 1972 and 1976.
Beckenbauer subsequently featured for New York Cosmos and Hamburg.
Franz Beckenbauer made his international debut for Germany in 1965 and went onto feature in 103 international matches for his nation, scoring 14 goals. He played in three World Up finals and won the competition in 1974 as a captain.
Franz Beckenbauer took to football coaching and managemnt after he hung up his boots. He was the coach of the German national side between 1984 and 1990 and guided his nation to World Cup triumph in 1990. He also managed German giants Bayern Munich and French side Marseille.
