Analysing Franz Beckenbauer the player

Football changed thanks to the Kaiser. He shaped the game like no one before him. But what was it about him? Club members’ magazine ‘51’ has analysed Franz Beckenbauer the player.

What a fine right foot Franz Beckenbauer possessed. Especially the outside of his boot, which he used to distribute the ball to all corners of the pitch. His teammates often received the ball from him without any kind of contact - and it was precisely that which made his build-up play so flexible and difficult for opponents to defend. He also played his passes into space instead of to foot. That was how Beckenbauer forced his teammates to play in an active way and controlled the dynamics of an entire match.

Elegant in tackles

However, Beckenbauer not only managed to carry out his attacking moves with ease and elegance. His work out of possession was also far removed from rudimentary fouls or unfair play. For the most part, he managed to get into a favourable position before a direct duel and then win the ball with his excellent sense of timing.

Just as important as his timing was his speed, which enabled him to engage opponents on the run and then win or clear the ball. Back then, Beckenbauer was also allowed to pass the ball he’d won back to the goalkeeper, who could still pick it up with his hands. This combination of individual skill and the rules of the time made Beckenbauer an insurmountable obstacle for attackers. That’s also borne out in the statistics. During his time at Bayern, Beckenbauer only received four yellow cards and not a single red in 582 games. By comparison, Philipp Lahm, who’s regarded as having been a very fair player, received 49 yellow cards in 652 appearances.

The master of the one-two

Beckenbauer's play with the ball was always forward-facing, whether with precise passes or dribbling into midfield and towards the opponent's goal. In many games, spectators saw Beckenbauer dribble past the first opponents before playing a short pass to a teammate in behind. He did not stop but continued his run and offered himself for a one-two. Gerd Müller was a frequent partner here. Opposing teams had great difficulty tracking those runs from midfield or defence into the final third. On the one hand, because Beckenbauer usually carried out his attacking moves at top speed, and on the other, because he was often able to create surplus numbers through his offensive drive. The dynamism in those moves and the ability to release the ball at the right moment and receive it back at top speed was and is as demanding as it is effective.

Role model for modern defenders

As a libero behind the centre-backs, Beckenbauer blossomed and became the sporting icon that he remains to this day. The actual job description of the classic libero is to act as a sweeper behind the last line of defence, clearing all dangerous balls and intercepting opponents. In retrospect, this kind of pure defence and ‘cleaning up mentality’ does not do Beckenbauer justice. In addition to his defensive work, his game also thrived on his attacking approach. Old recordings show how Beckenbauer would receive the ball from his centre-backs and then guide it towards the opposition goal. Always upright and with calm ball control, he was the driving force from the back. He did what coaches nowadays demand of their centre-backs, dribbling forward with the ball. Beckenbauer knew like no other how to recognise space in front of him and dribble boldly into it. He was helped by his very close ball control and generally great technique. It helped him overcome the opponent's first lines of pressing and energise his team's play in midfield.

At the same time, Beckenbauer never neglected his work as a defender and was there when he was needed, clearing balls out of the danger zone with his foot or head. This mixture of attacking impetus and defensive work was far ahead of its time and can still be seen as a model for modern defending today.

Text: Markus Brunnschneider, Head of Match & Tactics Analysis, Scouting and Squad Planning at the International Football Institute.

You can find out more about Franz Beckenbauer in the current issue of members' magazine ‘51’.

You can also read more about Beckenbauer’s playing style here: