![]() But at Wembley against England, he was given the detail of shackling the Three Lions’ threat Bobby Charlton. “For me, he’s much better than Pele because Pele could only play one position or two positions, but Beckenbauer can play everything.”īeckenbauer’s first tournament in 1966, as a 20-year-old, saw him star as an attacking midfielder, scoring four goals as the West Germans reached the final. ![]() “He has an aura around him, he was the best player in the world,” Zobel tells ESPN FC. Rainer Zobel was Beckenbauer’s teammate at Bayern Munich when the club won three European Cups in a row from 1974 to 1976. That makes him so singular in the German game.” He tried to avoid direct contact with the opponent, but he was a genius with feet and eye. “He wasn't really fast, he wasn't a player who loved tackling, he rarely left the pitch with a dirty shirt. “The most elegant player that Germany has ever had,” says Walter Straten, sports editor at Bild, German’s best-selling newspaper, and also the ghostwriter for Beckenbauer’s weekly column, tells ESPN FC. From there, his pinpoint passing could set up attacks, which he would join at will, too. He did so playing from a position invented for him - the libero role, playing as the furthest defender back, a spare man, which perfectly suited his reading of the game. In his last, he led West Germany to victory on home soil in 1974. ![]() Under his rule, his country conquered the World Cup for the second time, in 1974 under his leadership as a coach, they did so for the third time, in 1990.Īs a player, Beckenbauer took part in three World Cup tournaments, and he never finished less than third. Franz Beckenbauer is a giant of German football. Roll of honour: Winner 1974, runner-up 1966, third place 1970ĭer Kaiser - the nickname says it all. World Cup participation: 1966, 1970, 1974 - Played 18, Scored 5įinest World Cup moment: Captaining West Germany to 1974 title International career: 103 matches, 14 goals. 1 player will be announced on April 18.Ĭlubs: Bayern Munich (1964-77) New York Cosmos (1977-80), Hamburger SV (1980-82), New York Cosmos (1983) 10 Franz BeckenbauerĮSPN FC is counting down the 20 greatest World Cup players of all time, with two unveiled per day until the final five. You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browserĪll-time Top 20: No.
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