Franz Beckenbauer's playing style and achievements earned him the nickname "The Emperor," a legend who passed away on January 8th.
Beckenbauer will always hold a special place in football history, not only for inventing and popularizing the libero position, leading Bayern Munich to become a football powerhouse in Germany and Europe, or for being one of only three people to have won the World Cup as both a player and a coach. He also possesses one of the most unique and memorable nicknames in football history to date: "The Emperor," or Der Kaiser in German.
Like the legendary cyclist Eddy Merckx, considered a "cannibal" in cycling, Beckenbauer lived up to the nickname "Emperor" in both style and achievements.
Franz Beckenbauer (right) and Johan Cruyff, during the 1974 World Cup final between Germany and the Netherlands at the Olympic Stadium in Munich on July 7, 1974. Photo: EPA
There is still much debate about the origin of Beckenbauer's nickname, which emerged around the late 1960s. He once explained that he was photographed with an Austrian Emperor named Franz Joseph I when Bayern was touring Vienna. The media then called him the "Emperor of Football," later shortened to "Emperor."
Regardless, Beckenbauer always projected an image of royalty, whether as a player, coach, or football manager. The legend's playing style was described as more refined than most players, despite his working-class background in Munich during wartime.
Beckenbauer's nickname certainly evokes more sympathy for him than Eric Cantona's calling Didier Deschamps "The Water Carrier," implying that the captain of the 1998 World Cup-winning French team wasn't a flamboyant player. Deschamps later led France to victory in the 2018 World Cup.
Besides Beckenbauer and Deschamps, the only other person to have won the World Cup as both a player and a coach was Mario Zagallo. The Brazilian legend, who passed away just three days ago, was nicknamed "The Professor" and "The Old Wolf".
Beckenbauer at the unveiling of the Golden Ball for the 2006 World Cup finals, at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, April 2006. Photo: dpa
Of these three legendary players, Zagallo's World Cup record is the most impressive, having won twice as a player in 1958 and 1962, once as a coach in 1970, and once as an assistant coach in 1994. However, Beckenbauer is not far behind, having been runner-up as a player in 1966 and as a coach in 1986, before winning the World Cup in 1974 and 1990 respectively. He also ventured into sports politics , helping Germany beat England in the bid to host the 2006 World Cup.
Beckenbauer's reputation has also been tarnished since his political involvement with FIFA. In 2016, he was accused of making false statements and money laundering, involving an unacknowledged $7.3 million from a 2006 campaign. Swiss federal investigators raided Beckenbauer's home in Salzburg to search for evidence against him. Beckenbauer has consistently maintained his innocence, but has gradually withdrawn from public life, citing health reasons. His corruption trial concluded in April 2020 without a verdict. And it's possible there will be no verdict at all.
Beckenbauer was always highly regarded for his English-style play. He gradually gained popularity in England when he was tasked with marking Bobby Charlton, who was eight years older than him, in the 1966 World Cup final. Beckenbauer's task was only partially successful, but he still made his mark throughout the tournament, even scoring the third-highest number of goals despite being a defender.
Four years later, the English acknowledged Beckenbauer's attacking prowess and sharp goal-scoring ability when their team lost 2-3 to West Germany and were eliminated in the quarter-finals of the 1970 World Cup. Not only did he score the first goal for his team, but Beckenbauer also impressed with his quick observation skills and long passes that created scoring opportunities for the forwards.
Beckenbauer didn't possess a legendary technique like Johan Cruyff's turn, but he was better than anyone at timing his tackle perfectly. The German libero would patiently wait until the final moment, then pounce on the ball cleanly.
"The Emperor" excelled in every aspect of football. In the 60s and 70s, he played modern football, ahead of his contemporaries. In all 12 seasons he played for Bayern in the Bundesliga from 1965-1977, he was selected for the league's All-Star team.
After Beckenbauer scored to reduce West Germany's deficit to 1-2 against England in Mexico 1970, Charlton was immediately substituted by manager Alf Ramsey. In fact, Ramsey had registered Charlton as a replacement before Beckenbauer's goal, to conserve the then 32-year-old striker's energy for the semi-final. However, Beckenbauer was given more freedom after being relieved of his defensive duties, contributing to his team's 3-2 comeback victory.
West Germany failed to advance past Italy in the semi-finals, during which Beckenbauer dislocated his shoulder, rendering his right arm immobile. At that point, with his team having used all their substitutions, he had to endure the pain and play until the end of the match with his arm pressed against his chest.
However, Beckenbauer enjoyed the victory four years later, when West Germany won the World Cup for the second time, right in their home city of Munich. Many neutral spectators at the time hoped for a Dutch victory because of Cruyff and their total football style. But the home team's defensive approach helped them keep the trophy after a 2-1 comeback win. That match made West Germany the first team to win the World Cup as European champions.
Key events of the 1974 World Cup final.
Three years after retiring from playing at the New York Cosmos, Beckenbauer led West Germany to the 1986 World Cup final, his first major tournament as a coach. His team only lost to Argentina in the final, thanks to the brilliance of Diego Maradona. Beckenbauer remained in charge four years later, exacting revenge on Argentina with a 1-0 victory in the 1990 World Cup final in Rome.
Beckenbauer's World Cup achievements brought him global fame, but in Germany, he was often called "Mr. Bayern Munich." Before playing for Bayern, he was a fan of their rival club, 1860 Munich. At the time, 1860 Munich was the most successful team in Bavaria, while Bayern was only playing in the lower league when Beckenbauer joined in 1964. But he played a major role in helping the "Bavarian Lions" get promoted and become a league powerhouse ever since.
Club matches also gave Beckenbauer more opportunities to play as a libero, making the most of his defensive and attacking abilities. After winning the Bundesliga three years in a row from 1972-1974, he helped Bayern win the European Cup three times in a row from 1974 to 1976. Beckenbauer was Bayern's captain in every match during that period.
In terms of achievements, very few players can match Beckenbauer's illustrious career. One could find players better than him, though not many, but to achieve such consistent excellence and all-around performance in both attack and defense like the "Emperor," only he could.
Xuan Binh (according to Guardian )
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