“The shock is deep”: this is how the world mourns the death of football legend Franz Beckenbauer

class=”sc-cffd1e67-0 fmXrkB”>

German football legend Franz Beckenbauer has passed away. Beckenbauer died on Sunday at the age of 78, the German Football Association (DFB) announced on Monday in Frankfurt am Main. Beckenbauer won the World Cup with Germany as a player in 1974 and as a coach in 1990.

One of the players of the German national team was Lothar Matthäus (62). He became world champion in 1990 with Beckenbauer as coach. The news of his death hits the ex-footballer hard. “The shock is deep, even though I knew Franz was not feeling well. His death is a loss for football and for all of Germany,” Lothar Matthäus told Bild.

Matthäus continued: “He was one of the greatest as a player and coach, but also off the field. Franz was an outstanding personality, not only in football, and he enjoyed worldwide recognition.”

The German Football Association publishes a statement on its homepage. It reads: “Frank Beckenbauer has influenced football in Germany like no other. Together with the Brazilian Mário Zagallo and the Frenchman Didier Deschamps, Beckenbauer is one of three people who became world football champions as a player (1974) and as a coach (1990). In 2006 he achieved a special kind of triple: Beckenbauer, as head of the organizing committee, was responsible for the successful organization of the World Cup in Germany.

DFB officials also had their say in the statement.

Julian Nagelsmann, national coach: «For me, Franz Beckenbauer was the best footballer in German history. His interpretation of the libero role changed the game; this role and his friendship with the ball made him a free man. Franz Beckenbauer could float across the field, as a football player and later as a coach he was sublime, he was above everything. When Franz Beckenbauer entered a room, the room lit up; He deserved the title of ‘luminous figure of German football’.”

Rudi Völler, DFB director of the senior national team: «I am incredibly sad, the news of his death affects me enormously. I consider it one of the great privileges of my life to have known and experienced Franz Beckenbauer. Our time together with the national team was culminated in the 1990 World Cup title in Rome, a title that would never have been possible without his outstanding coaching achievements. The Kaiser was a source of inspiration for more than one generation, he will forever remain the shining light of German football.”

Bernd Neuendorf, DFB Chairman: «The death of Franz Beckenbauer is a real turning point. We look back on his life’s work with respect and great gratitude. With him we lose a unique footballer and a wonderful person. The Kaiser was one of the best players our sport has ever seen.”

Chancellor Olaf Scholz writes further We will miss him. My thoughts are with his family and friends.”

UEFA writes about X: “The Kaiser was an exceptional player, successful coach and popular expert who shaped German football like no other.”

The DFL writes about Beckenbauer’s death: “We mourn an outstanding legend of world football.”

Sports commentator Frank Buschmann was also affected. He writes: “In the football world he remained such an incredibly friendly person. Polite to everyone!”

Source : Blick