FRANZ BECKENBAUER

'The Kaiser', an idol of several generations who crossed borders and a footballer that everyone wanted to be like. Franz Beckenbauer (Munich, September 11, 1945) died this Monday at the age of 78 after fighting for the last few months with an illness that kept him away from public life. 

Myth and legend of German football, considered along with Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Gerd Muller as one of the greatest among all those who have worn the 'Mannschaft' shirt, his name always appeared on the list of legends of global football. The footballer who best represented a position that has disappeared in our days like that of the libero, executing it wonderfully to become one of the best defenders (and at the same time much more than that) of all time. 

As a player he won the Ballon d'Or twice (1972 and 1976) and won, among many other titles, the 1974 World Cup in Germany, the 1972 European Championship in Belgium, and three consecutive European Cups with Bayern Munich (1973/74). , 1974/75 and 1975/76). As a coach, he was in charge of leading Germany to the title in the 1990 World Cup in Italy. To date, only three people have managed to win the soccer world championship, first as a player and later as a coach: the Brazilian Mário Zagallo, Also deceased last Friday were Franz Beckenbauer himself, and the Frenchman Didier Deschamps.