Part 3 of tribute to Franz Beckenbauer: The free man

FC Bayern mourns the loss of Franz Beckenbauer: a true all-rounder, club icon - the Kaiser. A playmaker beyond the game. Widely travelled and yet deeply rooted. As a farewell, we shed light on his life. FC Bayern will forever be the Kaiser’s empire - because without Beckenbauer, everything would be different at this club today. Part 3: the free man.

Ease and freedom

It's an anecdote from the other side of the world, because Beckenbauer's life story is rich in chapters from around the globe. At the end of the 1970s, after winning everything there was to win with FC Bayern and the Germany national team, the Kaiser rocked up in the USA with the New York Cosmos. He excelled alongside Pelé, another player you will never forget, and one day the team arranged to play baseball. Beckenbauer played a bit, but he didn't really feel like it at the start, and when it was his turn to run, he chose routes between the bases that seemed logical to him, but unfortunately didn't comply with the rules. After what he felt was an undeserved end to his innings several times in this way, he took his leave after a while. You can play this nonsense on your own! Nobody was angry with him, national sport or not. Back then, Beckenbauer had long since earned his freedom off the pitches of this world.

Throughout his life, Beckenbauer epitomised the free man. As a libero, neither opponents nor tactical constraints (and technical deficiencies anyway) held him back when he was floating above it all, shaking up supposed certainties. The number 5 was written on his jersey - as if he stood for the fifth dimension, which he had discovered all by himself, while the others continued to cram into ordinary spaces and argue senselessly. Gravity meant nothing to him, and somehow - it's nothing more than a gift - he managed to make ease and freedom the basis of everything he did. After his playing career, nothing could touch manager, coach and president Beckenbauer, who led Germany to 1990 World Cup glory, his Bayern to the Bundesliga as head coach and the only UEFA Cup triumph in the club's history, organised the unforgettable 2006 World Cup at home for German fans and was a decisive figure in the construction of the Allianz Arena on the outskirts of his birthplace and hometown of Munich.

Franz Beckenbauer the icebreaker

Uli Hoeneß sometimes tells the story about how Bayern went about trying to finance the stadium at the time. When the then general manager finally managed to get an appointment with the top brass at Allianz, he took Beckenbauer with him because it never hurts to have an emperor by your side. Before the talks began, Beckenbauer looked round at the top managers and told them in his typical, unmistakable, charming way that they were all lucky to be sitting here. He had worked at Allianz decades ago as an apprentice - and if he had stayed, he would be sitting in their place today. Hoeneß almost slipped out of his chair, thinking: “Is everything lost with this statement before the negotiations have even started?” But the laughter around the table was great, the atmosphere was excellent, Beckenbauer had said it with his famous wink, and hours later the CEO even accompanied the two Bayern bosses down to the exit on the ground floor. Soon afterwards, the contracts were drawn up - nothing stood in the way of the construction of the arena, also thanks to the ice-breaker Beckenbauer, who nobody could hold anything against.

Here's a brief reminder of a media appointment at a Munich TV station a few months before the 2006 World Cup. The Kaiser was due to meet a few journalists for a discussion about the upcoming tournament, about Germany's chances on and off the pitch. Beckenbauer arrived late, he had to look for a parking space. He apologised, and although the hosts were visibly restless - the start of the broadcast was fast approaching - he first took time to shake hands with everyone, including the two assistants behind the reception desk. It's a shame everyone has to be so nervous, he said to them with a smile and enquired: “Have you had a good day so far?” Only after a little chat did he allow himself to be led into the studio. Of course, they went on air on time, despite the relaxed tour. Imperial freedom had the magic that everything always worked out in the end.

The Kaiser and the fifth dimension

What remains of Franz Beckenbauer, the unique, the unforgettable, the emperor from his fifth dimension? “Nobody will ever reach him,” says Hoeneß, “people will say that they watched football in the days of Franz Beckenbauer.” At the title celebrations in 1994, his players placed the ball on a Weißbier glass in a Munich beer cellar during a live broadcast of Aktuelle Sportstudio's legendary goal wall competition. Otherwise, it would’ve been too easy, roared the excited champions. In front of the television, the spectators wondered anxiously whether they weren't overdoing it in their exuberance? But Beckenbauer scored. Of course he did. Very easily. He was so free.

Dearest Franz Beckenbauer - the Bayern family will keep you in their hearts forever.    

Thank you for everything.

You can read part 2 of the series here: