German football legend Franz Beckenbauer is no more.
Franz cpassed away in his sleep on Monday (January 08).
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Franz Beckenbauer won the FIFA World Cup both as player and coach.
He was one of Germany’s most beloved personalities with his easy-going charm.
Franz Beckenbauer was 78 years old when he breathed his last.
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“It is with deep sadness that we announce… Franz Beckenbauer, passed away,” the family said in a statement.
The family added: “We ask that we be allowed to grieve in peace and be spared any questions.”
Although the statement did not mention a cause of death, it may be mentioned here that the former Bayern Munich legend had been struggling with health issues in recent years.
As a player, he reimagined the defender’s role in football and captained West Germany to the World Cup title in 1974 after it had lost to England in the 1966 final.
He was the coach when West Germany won the tournament again in 1990, a symbolic moment for a country in the midst of reunification, months after the Berlin Wall fell.
Franz Beckenbauer was also instrumental in bringing the highly successful 2006 World Cup to Germany.