The death of Franz Beckenbauer at the age of 78 hasn’t just sent reverberations around German football, with names all over politics and sport also mourning the passing of the ‘Kaiser’. DFB.de has assembled some of the reactions to the death of the Germany legend and 1974 and 1990 World Cup winner.
President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier: It’s likely that no one has shaped German football as much as Franz Beckenbauer. He rewrote football history as a player and coach. He was one of a kind. The word ‘libero’, in its full meaning, seems to have been invented for him.
Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz: A world champion as both a player and a coach: Franz Beckenbauer was one of the most well-known footballers in Germany and ‘der Kaiser’ to many, also because he inspired generations of German football. We will miss him. My thoughts are with his family and friends.
DFB vice president Hans-Joachim Watzke: Franz Beckenbauer was definitely one of the most well-known German footballers of all time and, on top of that, one of the best people I’ve ever met. Every single personal experience that I had with Franz was amazing. I can still vividly remember having goosebumps all over my body when he addressed me with the informal ‘you’ (du) after we won the German title in 2010/11. You can only admire what Franz Beckenbauer accomplished for Germany and for German football.
IOC president Thomas Bach: I was very sad to hear of the death of Franz Beckenbauer. He was a legend of sport beyond just football. For me personally, he was a good and loyal friend, who you could always rely on, for more than four decades. His approachableness and his humbleness in dealing with everyone, as well as his dedication and charity that came from the heart, showed his incredible personality.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino: Franz Beckenbauer: a legend of German and world football. The Kaiser was a great person, a friend of football, a champion and a true legend. We will never forget you, dear Franz. Thank you for everything.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin: His incomparable versatility, his elegant movement between defence and midfield, his impeccable ball control and his visionary style reshaped the way football was played in his era. Beckenbauer’s legacy as one of the football greats is undoubted. We’re saying farewell to a true legend.
DOSB president Thomas Weikert: Franz Beckenbauer inspired and left an impression on fans around the globe as a player, coach and personality. German sport is bowing in farewell to the Kaiser.
Herbert Hainer (president of Bayern München): There are no words to express how great our grief is, and the gap that Franz Beckenbauer leaves behind. As a player, he brought a sense of effortlessness, elegance and magic to the pitch. Franz Beckenbauer brought the glamour. Even after his playing career, he left an indelible mark on FC Bayern and football, and his legacy cannot be measured in titles.
Uli Hoeneß (honorary president of Bayern München): Franz Beckenbauer is the greatest figure FC Bayern has ever had. As a player, coach, president, man – unforgettable. Nobody will ever equal him. People can say that they watched football in the days of Franz Beckenbauer. He was a friend to me, a unique companion, and a gift to us all. Dear Franz, rest in peace.
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (member of the Bayern München supervisory board): The whole world of football and beyond mourns the passing of our friend Franz. FC Bayern should hold a memorial service to thank and remember him at their stadium, which would never have existed without him.
Lothar Matthäus: The shock hits deeply, even though I knew that Franz wasn’t well. His death is a loss for football and for the whole of Germany. He was one of the greatest as a player and coach, but also off the pitch. Everyone who knew him knows what an amazing and big-hearted person Franz was. A good friend has left us. I will miss him. We will all miss him!
Jürgen Klinsmann: Dear Franz, we’re eternally grateful for everything you did for football in Germany, as a player, head coach, president, and role model with your unique charm, easy-going nature and lust for life. We will miss you!
Wolfgang Overath: It’s made me really sad. I can’t believe that he’s not here anymore. He wasn’t just the greatest footballer Germany has ever and will ever have, but also an amazing person. He was such a big presence, and yet so down-to-earth. He called me with all the strength he had left on my birthday three months ago.
Berti Vogts: Germany has lost one of its greatest ever footballers and one of the best ever alongside Pele. I find it really sad that we’ve had to part ways so soon. We played together at U18 level, then for the national team and in the World Cup. I was always in contact with his family. I’m lost for words.
Matthias Sammer: Franz was and still is my hero. There’s a massive photo of him holding the Champions League trophy hanging up in my house. We had fantastic matches against one another and it was always great to spend time with him. Germany has lost one of its greatest and most important footballers. It’s a very, very sad day.
Andreas Brehme: We won the World Cup because of Franz. We players really respected him and everything that he achieved as a player. We all owe him a great deal. German football in general has a lot to thank him for, not just the two World Cup wins, but also for hosting the event in 2006.
Thomas Müller: One of FC Bayern’s greatest ever players has unfortunately passed away. Rest in peace, Kaiser Franz. We’ll never forget what you did for German football.
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The death of Franz Beckenbauer at the age of 78 hasn’t just sent reverberations around German football, with names all over politics and sport also mourning the passing of the ‘Kaiser’. DFB.de has assembled some of the reactions to the death of the Germany legend and 1974 and 1990 World Cup winner.
President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier: It’s likely that no one has shaped German football as much as Franz Beckenbauer. He rewrote football history as a player and coach. He was one of a kind. The word ‘libero’, in its full meaning, seems to have been invented for him.
Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz: A world champion as both a player and a coach: Franz Beckenbauer was one of the most well-known footballers in Germany and ‘der Kaiser’ to many, also because he inspired generations of German football. We will miss him. My thoughts are with his family and friends.
DFB vice president Hans-Joachim Watzke: Franz Beckenbauer was definitely one of the most well-known German footballers of all time and, on top of that, one of the best people I’ve ever met. Every single personal experience that I had with Franz was amazing. I can still vividly remember having goosebumps all over my body when he addressed me with the informal ‘you’ (du) after we won the German title in 2010/11. You can only admire what Franz Beckenbauer accomplished for Germany and for German football.
IOC president Thomas Bach: I was very sad to hear of the death of Franz Beckenbauer. He was a legend of sport beyond just football. For me personally, he was a good and loyal friend, who you could always rely on, for more than four decades. His approachableness and his humbleness in dealing with everyone, as well as his dedication and charity that came from the heart, showed his incredible personality.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino: Franz Beckenbauer: a legend of German and world football. The Kaiser was a great person, a friend of football, a champion and a true legend. We will never forget you, dear Franz. Thank you for everything.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin: His incomparable versatility, his elegant movement between defence and midfield, his impeccable ball control and his visionary style reshaped the way football was played in his era. Beckenbauer’s legacy as one of the football greats is undoubted. We’re saying farewell to a true legend.
DOSB president Thomas Weikert: Franz Beckenbauer inspired and left an impression on fans around the globe as a player, coach and personality. German sport is bowing in farewell to the Kaiser.
Herbert Hainer (president of Bayern München): There are no words to express how great our grief is, and the gap that Franz Beckenbauer leaves behind. As a player, he brought a sense of effortlessness, elegance and magic to the pitch. Franz Beckenbauer brought the glamour. Even after his playing career, he left an indelible mark on FC Bayern and football, and his legacy cannot be measured in titles.
Uli Hoeneß (honorary president of Bayern München): Franz Beckenbauer is the greatest figure FC Bayern has ever had. As a player, coach, president, man – unforgettable. Nobody will ever equal him. People can say that they watched football in the days of Franz Beckenbauer. He was a friend to me, a unique companion, and a gift to us all. Dear Franz, rest in peace.
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (member of the Bayern München supervisory board): The whole world of football and beyond mourns the passing of our friend Franz. FC Bayern should hold a memorial service to thank and remember him at their stadium, which would never have existed without him.
Lothar Matthäus: The shock hits deeply, even though I knew that Franz wasn’t well. His death is a loss for football and for the whole of Germany. He was one of the greatest as a player and coach, but also off the pitch. Everyone who knew him knows what an amazing and big-hearted person Franz was. A good friend has left us. I will miss him. We will all miss him!
Jürgen Klinsmann: Dear Franz, we’re eternally grateful for everything you did for football in Germany, as a player, head coach, president, and role model with your unique charm, easy-going nature and lust for life. We will miss you!
Wolfgang Overath: It’s made me really sad. I can’t believe that he’s not here anymore. He wasn’t just the greatest footballer Germany has ever and will ever have, but also an amazing person. He was such a big presence, and yet so down-to-earth. He called me with all the strength he had left on my birthday three months ago.
Berti Vogts: Germany has lost one of its greatest ever footballers and one of the best ever alongside Pele. I find it really sad that we’ve had to part ways so soon. We played together at U18 level, then for the national team and in the World Cup. I was always in contact with his family. I’m lost for words.
Matthias Sammer: Franz was and still is my hero. There’s a massive photo of him holding the Champions League trophy hanging up in my house. We had fantastic matches against one another and it was always great to spend time with him. Germany has lost one of its greatest and most important footballers. It’s a very, very sad day.
Andreas Brehme: We won the World Cup because of Franz. We players really respected him and everything that he achieved as a player. We all owe him a great deal. German football in general has a lot to thank him for, not just the two World Cup wins, but also for hosting the event in 2006.
Thomas Müller: One of FC Bayern’s greatest ever players has unfortunately passed away. Rest in peace, Kaiser Franz. We’ll never forget what you did for German football.
