Bayern Munich and Germany legend Franz Beckenbauer has died aged 78, his family has confirmed.
An icon of German football, the former central defender won the World Cup both as a player and as a manager, in 1974 when he captained West Germany, and in 1990 as as coach of his country. He remains widely regarded as one of the best players in history and is one of only three men to have won the World Cup both as a player and as manager. The Brazilian Mario Zagallo and the French Didier Deschamps also achieved this feat.
Beckenbauer cut his teeth as a midfielder but made his name as a central defender. He was perhaps one of the first defenders who could defend and move the ball with precision. As well as his work with Germany, the former Bayern Munich star won the European Cup three times with the Bavarian giants. He also won the Bundesliga four times as a player and once as a coach, and led Bayern to the UEFA Cup in 1996.
He won the Ballon d’Or twice as a player. In recent years, he has faced serious health problems, including a heart problem, eye damage, Parkinson’s disease and dementia.
