Franz Beckenbauer, German Football Hero And Bayern Munich Legend, Dies At 78

“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 to dpa, the German news agency. “We ask that we be allowed grieve in peace and spared any questions.”

Nicknamed Der Kaiser, as a player he also won the European Championship in 1972.

In recent years the former Bayern Munich great struggled with health problems.

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The German is widely-regarded as one of the greatest players of all-time. The German football great had a long career, as both player and manager.? He came through the Bayern Munich youth system in 1964,

Beckenbauer played for the German club, the city he was born, for 13 long years and won loads of trophies including two Ballon d'Ors.

Beckenbauer played 103 games for former West Germany, and played in three World Cups. He even led in the World Cup-winning team of 1974 where they beat Holland.?

He then repeated the feat as manager, wherein he led his country to the World Cup in 1990.?

Beckenbauer’s death comes just two days after the announcement that Mario Zagallo, the Brazilian who became the first person to win the World Cup as a player and coach,?had died at the age of 92.