Football Icon Franz Beckenbauer Known As ‘God of Ball-playing’ Passes Away

Franz Beckenbauer, renowned as the “God of Ball-playing” center-backs, has passed away. He represented both Germany and Bayern Munich, making an indelible mark with 427 appearances and 60 goals in a revolutionary center-back role that forever transformed the football landscape.

As news of his passing broke on Sunday, an outpouring of love and tributes flooded in from fans and the football community alike.

The health of this German legend had been steadily declining, particularly in the last eight years, marked by personal tragedy when his son passed away in 2015. Beckenbauer faced numerous heart surgeries and battled Parkinson’s disease in the latter stage of his life.

Also Read: Maestro Ustad Rashid Khan Passes Away at 55

His legendary career saw him play 103 international games for Germany, securing the prestigious European Cup three times. Beckenbauer clinched the FIFA World Cup twice, achieving victory both as a player in 1974 and as a manager in 1990—an accomplishment shared only with French manager Didier Deschamps and Brazilian great Mario Zagallo.

With four Bundesliga titles and four DFB Pokal domestic German cups to his name, Beckenbauer’s illustrious career is etched in football history. Known as ‘Der Kaiser,’ translating to ‘The Emperor,’ he is revered as one of the greatest footballers in living memory in Germany and beyond.