The shadowy existence of Franz Beckenbauer – how he is doing today 13 memes that perfectly describe summer as a hockey fan

The fact that Franz Beckenbauer of all people missed the meeting 33 years after the great World Cup triumph was particularly painful for the German 1990 world champion heroes. “Franz Beckenbauer created this unique cohesion in this team. No one else. We owe him for everything!” said Lothar Matthäus, then captain under team boss Beckenbauer, from “Bild”.

With a heavy heart, however, Beckenbauer allowed his wife Heidi to apologize. “Unfortunately, Franz cannot be there for health reasons. It would just be too much for him,” she said. And so the 1990 World Cup heroes had to reminisce without Beckenbauer in the luxury hotel “Das Achental” in Grassau am Chiemsee.

In any case, Beckenbauer has now almost completely withdrawn from the public eye. In any case, the spectators were amazed when they saw the 77-year-old in the stadium stands last August. Yes, look here! Beckenbauer was not in Bayern’s top match against Borussia Mönchengladbach (1-1) at the Munich Arena – where he was last in March 2021 in the game against Stuttgart.

Instead, he preferred to watch the 1899 Hoffenheim home game against FC Augsburg (1-0). Beckenbauer, who is considered a friend and confidant of Hoffenheim’s patron Dietmar Hopp, followed the game in a VIP box and presented himself there with sunglasses and a white beard.

From the light form to the shadowy existence

He looked remarkably slim and thin, as in his earlier public appearances, which have now become very rare. The days when the “Kaiser”, as the head organization of the 2006 home World Cup, swept through the entire football world in a helicopter and were often seen in several stadiums on the same day, are long gone.

As is known, the dark shadows that have spread over the alleged summer fairy tale have also captured its aura. The former shining light of German football now leads a shadowy existence. He no longer lives in Kitzbühel, but has retired to Salzburg. Comments from the football country’s formerly ubiquitous chief commentator are now a rarity.

The fire of enthusiasm for his FC Bayern, which he has shaped like no other as a player, coach and chairman, still burns within him. It was therefore no coincidence that the honorary president of the club was lured out of his isolation last season by the furious start of the Munich team.

When the “Bild” surprised him with a phone call right after Bayern’s 6:1 in Frankfurt, he said: “I have not seen such a desire, such a performance for a long time. The successes with Lewandowski are in the past, this team is the future.” For a brief moment there was a glimpse of the old Beckenbauer, whose word not so long ago had the highest possible weight in German football.

Everyone who meets him “of course first respects Franz – and then is pleasantly surprised by his kindness and incredible warmth that he shows,” says Klaus Eder t-online.

The 69-year-old worked as a physiotherapist for the German national team from 1988 to 2018 and is still very good friends with Beckenbauer. “He always makes you feel like his very best friend. That was the case in Italy at the time, at Novanta, and it is still the case today.”

Close relationship of the 90s world champions

With the Novanta, Eder means the historic World Cup victory of the German national team in 1990 with Beckenbauer as team boss. Whether you’ve seen the final or not, the post-game scene, in which Beckenbauer, lost in thought, walks alone across the field in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico with the gold medal dangling from his neck, is almost everyone’s mind, as if he himself had been.

“A very close relationship developed with the entire 90s team that has remained to this day,” says Eder. On the occasion of the 30th anniversary, the last World Cup meeting that Beckenbauer attended took place in 2020 – at an Italian luxury resort in Il Pelagone.

“The 30 years left none of us untouched,” Eder recalls, “but otherwise he was fit and cheerful. We played golf together, laughed a lot and celebrated.”

Didn’t say goodbye to Seeler due to health problems

Eder similarly saw his old companion again in July 2022 at the 33rd Kaiser Cup, the annual golf charity tournament, the proceeds of which go to the Franz-Beckenbauer Foundation.

Barely a month later, when Uwe Seeler died, Beckenbauer’s mood changed. Especially since he couldn’t personally pay his last respects to his friend due to health problems. Instead, Beckenbauer wrote him an emotional, open suicide note.

It is not known exactly what physical complaints Beckenbauer currently suffers from. Eder also keeps a low profile about Beckenbauer’s current state of health. “We all know that Franz has not been the strongest lately, but he has put it all away well. Now we hope that he can really recover in peace,” he says alone. “The way I got to know him, he never sought the public, it was always the exact opposite.” Now Beckenbauer has “only one reason to avoid the public”.

In 2019, Beckenbauer underwent eye surgery, two years earlier he had to undergo heart surgery for the second time. On the occasion of his 75th birthday, he told the “Bild” in 2020 that he did it “according to the circumstances”. But he admitted, “With all the surgeries and also with the 2006 story. That cost me a lot.”

Allegations in the context of the 2006 World Cup torment Beckenbauer

The allegations made in connection with the award of the World Cup to Germany are now legally time-barred. But don’t forget, especially with yourself. “I see that it is now accepted that there was nothing, but the last few years have been tough,” said Beckenbauer, which is why he “wants more peace now”.

On his anniversary day, he began to think for the first time. “75 is an age when you can guess the end,” he said openly: “You become aware of the finiteness. And of course that keeps you busy.”

Of course, the suffering and pain also increase with age for the German footballer of the last century, who also won the 1974 World Cup and the 1972 European Championship as a player.

Imperial Audience for Delegation of World Champions

For this reason, Beckenbauer had already missed saying goodbye to Rudi Völler, who solemnly retired from operational matters at Bayer Leverkusen in May 2023 and thus from the Bundesliga activities.

Instead, the 1990 world champions Völler, Lothar Matthäus and Andreas Brehme then visited him in Salzburg. Such meetings still take place regularly, one of those directly involved confirms to t-online.

The year before, a 1974 World Cup delegation featuring Uli Hoeness, Paul Breitner and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge had set off before a similar Imperial audience. No one can separate good friends.

It was also Rummenigge who last demanded on t-online “that Franz get the status he deserves. He became world champion as a player and as a coach he belongs in the ‘Top of the Tops’ category that ever existed in football.” “You cannot overstate Beckenbauer’s life’s work for German football,” said Rummenigge, “and the DFB should also pay tribute to it.”

Beckenbauer has much to say about all these matters. However, upon request, his management said he was “unfortunately unable to comply”.

Next World Cup meeting in the summer of 2025

This also applied to the invitation to the World Cup meeting. The heroes of the 90s had already agreed to shorten the cycle from ten to five years. The next meeting is already planned for the summer of 2025, after there was an extra date for the 33rd anniversary. “Franz said, ‘We need to shorten it a little bit, we don’t have to meet every five years. But you also have to use a drink number to meet us,” world champion Olaf Thon told t-online: “That’s how he is, Franz.”

Now he could not put his own project into practice for health reasons. In two years, Beckenbauer will have the next opportunity to do so. Can he use it then? He would certainly say: Let’s see.