German soccer legend Franz Beckenbauer has died at the age of 78.
Beckenbauer’s family sent a statement to a German news agency to confirm the news.
“It is with deep sadness that we announce that my husband and our father, Franz Beckenbauer, passed away peacefully in his sleep yesterday, Sunday, surrounded by his family,” the family said in a statement.
Nicknamed “Der Kaiser,” Beckenbauer is regarded as one of the greatest figures in soccer history. He is one of nine players to win the FIFA World Cup (1974), the European Champions Cup (1972), and the Ballon d’Or (1972, 1976). He is one of just three people to have won the World Cup as both a player and coach, as he led Germany to the World Cup win in 1990 as a manager.
Beckenbauer was a star player for Bayern Munich and later Hamburger SV. He won five Bundesliga titles and four German cups during his career at the club level. He was recognized for reinventing the sweeper position.
Many people sent their tributes to Beckenbauer via X.
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