The legendary German football player and manager Franz Beckenbauer passed away at the age of 78 at his family home, his family said on Sunday.
Renowned as “Der Kaiser,” Beckenbauer has won two Ballon d’Or awards and two World Cup titles. He was one of just three individuals to win the major tournament both as a player and a manager, having won it as West Germany’s captain in 1974 and again as a manager in 1990.
Furthermore, in 1972, he became victorious in the European championship.
“It is with deep sadness that we announce that my husband and our father, Franz Beckenbauer, passed away peacefully in his sleep yesterday, Sunday,” the Beckenbauer family stated in a statement to the German news agency DPA.
According to Bayern, the most successful football team in Germany, “the world of FC Bayern is no longer what it used to be — suddenly darker, quieter, poorer, Bayern would never have become the club it is today.”
The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) paid respect to “Der Kaiser,” a remarkable player, successful coach, and well-liked commentator who influenced German football unlike any other, on their official X account.
