“Class”, “talent”, “historic personality”… The world of football mourns the death of Beckenbauer

After Mario Zagallo at the end of last week, another football legend has passed away at the start of 2024. German player and then coach, Franz Beckenbauer died at the age of 78.

The world of football mourns the double Ballon d'Or, who achieved the feat of winning the World Cup as a player and then as a coach. On the German side in particular, the sadness is great. “One of the greatest footballers in the history of the Bayern Munich club has sadly left us. Rest in peace, Kaiser Franz. We will never forget what you did for football in Germany,” writes Thomas Muller, striker for the Bavarian club where Beckenbauer played most of his career, on his X account (ex-Twitter).

“Rest in peace, Kaiser!”, published Spaniard Xabi Alonso, former Bayern Munich player, now coach of Bayer Leverkusen.

A few years before retiring from playing, Franz Beckenbauer had a quick stint with Hamburg SV. The northern German club hailed a “legend of German football” on its official X account and sent its “thoughts to his family and loved ones”.

“I am very sorry to learn of the death of Franz Beckenbauer,” said former England striker Gary Lineker. One of the greatest players in our sport. Der Kaiser was the most handsome footballer, who won everything with grace and charm. RIP.”

On the French side, Luis Fernandez paid tribute: “Immense loss for football with the death of the legend Franz Beckenbauer. I grew up with him and Cruyff as examples... Thanks to him for all these emotions.”

The coach of the French team, Didier Deschamps, published a long press release to express his “immense sadness”. “DD” also evokes the common point which linked him to the German and to Mario Zagallo, that of being world champion as a player then as a coach. “My pain, today, is equal to the happiness that was mine to be invited to the table of these two giants of international football,” he wrote. The boss of the Blues also hails a “world-class player, a talented and authoritarian defender” who “exuded a class, an assurance that many sought to be inspired by”. And Deschamps concludes: “Through everything he achieved but also what he exuded, Franz Beckenbauer was an extremely respected personality, who embodied the demands of the very highest level.”

Fifa boss Gianni Infantino on Monday saluted the “legend of German and world football” that was Franz Beckenbauer, player then coach and manager who died on Sunday at the age of 78. The “Kaiser”, world champion as a player in 1974 and as a coach in 1990, “has always remained modest” despite “exploits and triumphs which are engraved in history”, praised the Italian-Swiss leader on his Instagram account.

Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castera also reacted on her social networks. “The Kaiser was him. The culture of winning was him. The “classiest” defender in history was him. A few days after the death of Mario Zagallo, the world of football mourns the death of a new legend, Franz Beckenbauer. Double winner of the Golden Ball, he also achieved the feat of winning the World Cup as a player and coach. My condolences to our German neighbors and friends.

Also read: Franz Beckenbauer, German football legend, has died

As for Michel Platini, he “took a blow to the head” when he learned of the death of the man he calls a “friend”. “I spent many, many years with him. First I saw him play when I was young against Cruyff or Pelé at the 1970 World Cup. He was Mr. Football in Germany. He made German football and the history of German football, recalls the triple French Ballon d'Or at the microphone of RMC. I think he was a creator, an organizer but behind. He was the first player who made 40-yard passes from behind. He knew how to score goals, he created the offensive defender.

Another Kaiser wanted to react: Franck Ribéry, dubbed in Germany under the nickname “Kaiser Franck”. “Goodbye, Kaiser! Rest in peace!”, published the former French international on his X account.

Eric Di Meco, who met Beckenbauer at OM, told RMC that “it was class, it was talent. To give you the class of the character, every morning that God had at the time when he was with us, upon arriving at the stadium, he would stop by to greet the laundress, the storekeeper. He went into the locker room to greet all the physiotherapists, all the doctors, all the players. He was going to change... and he was coming back. Every morning he did this. I have never seen that. He left only good memories here.”

Olympique de Marseille had a thought for the man who was their coach during the 1990-1991 season: “Franz Beckenbauer has left us. A historic personality in European football, he served as coach of Olympique de Marseille during the 1990-1991 season. Olympique de Marseille sends its sincere condolences to his family and loved ones,” the club wrote on its social networks.

The president of PSG Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, through a message posted on the account of the capital club, praised the memory of “an icon of elegance”. “On behalf of Paris Saint-Germain, I would like to pay tribute to this legend in the history of football who was Franz Beckenbauer. “He will forever remain an icon of elegance and a model of sportiness and excellence.”