The family of Franz Anton Beckenbauer has announced the death of the legendary German football player on Sunday (January 7).
Franz Beckenbauer dies at 78.
— DW Sports (@dw_sports) January 8, 2024
Rest in peace, Kaiser 🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/KINvqMkVhL
Beckenbauer's family released the information to the German press agency DPA, saying that the retired player - known by fans as "Der Kaiser" ("The Emperor") - passed away peacefully surrounded by his family at the age of 78.
He was known as the team captain of West Germany when his team won the World Cup in 1974. He also managed the team in 1990, when the country won again.
Read Also: Lioness Goalie Mary Earps Wins BBC's Sports Personality of the Year 2023
Player and Manager
Beckenbauer played for West Germany 103 times in multiple leagues and levels of the game before becoming the team's manager.
As a player, he won four Bundesliga titles, four German Cups, three European Cups, one Winners' Cup, three NASL, one European Championship, and one World Cup. As manager, he led the West German team to win additional Bundesliga, Ligue 1, UEFA Cup, and World Cup championships, German broadcaster DW reported.
The Kaiser was one of only three men to have lifted the World Cup Ballon d'Or as both player and manager. The other two were Brazil's Mário Zagallo and France's Didier Deschamps.
Related Article: Germany's Bundesliga Votes to Allow Negotiations with Investors
