# Franz Beckenbauer dead at 78 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 8, 2024, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/franz-beckenbauer-dead-at-78/995782 "2024-01-08T16:28:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/franz-beckenbauer-dead-at-78/995782/1 "2024-01-08T16:28:50Z")
Just saw the breaking news on [spiegel.de](http://spiegel.de). No details yet, just the announcement that he died. > **[Franz Beckenbauer ist tot](https://www.spiegel.de/sport/fussball/franz-beckenbauer-ist-tot-a-ebd568f6-d008-4cd8-b42e-1ec8a6926d98)** > > Libero, Weltmeister, »Kaiser«: Die deutsche Fußball-Legende Franz Beckenbauer ist im Alter von 78 Jahren gestorben. He was Germany’s best footballer of all time and its greatest legend in every regard, though he did much wrong as an official (which bit him in the ass the in last years of his life). RIP, Kaiser Franz. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/franz-beckenbauer-dead-at-78/995782/2 "2024-01-08T16:44:24Z")
Story in English: > **[Franz Beckenbauer, World Cup-winning captain and manager, dies aged 78](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/jan/08/franz-beckenbauer-world-cup-winning-captain-and-manager-dies-aged-78)** > > Franz Beckenbauer, widely regarded as one of the finest footballers of all time, has died ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/franz-beckenbauer-dead-at-78/995782/3 "2024-01-08T16:55:43Z")
Sad, but to be expected. I’ll drink a beer or two in his memory this evening, may he rest in peace. And a couple of comedians and impersonators saw their routines become obsolete today. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/franz-beckenbauer-dead-at-78/995782/4 "2024-01-08T16:56:44Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > And a couple of comedians and impersonators lost their routines today. Yeah, especially Olli Dittrich who is his best impersonator. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/franz-beckenbauer-dead-at-78/995782/5 "2024-01-08T17:05:35Z")
A legend. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/franz-beckenbauer-dead-at-78/995782/6 "2024-01-08T17:08:31Z")
I had the honor and pleasure to see him play, in a Bundesliga match in Düsseldorf of Fortuna-HSV in 1980 when I was twelve. Hamburg was his last club as a player. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/franz-beckenbauer-dead-at-78/995782/7 "2024-01-08T17:20:24Z")
I had the honor and pleasure to work for him (and for Pelé) in a press conference during the preparation phase of the 2006 World Cup in Germany! Though they both did not really need me, they spoke English during the whole conference. Pelé more than him. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/franz-beckenbauer-dead-at-78/995782/8 "2024-01-08T17:21:45Z")
That’s very cool! I would have died of stage fright in your shoes working for these two giants. ETA: yeah, Pelé spoke better English than Beckenbauer, though at least he was miles ahead of Lothar Matthäus 😆 (“I hope we have a little bit lucky”). ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/franz-beckenbauer-dead-at-78/995782/9 "2024-01-08T17:25:49Z")
I was suitably impressed, but I was not on stage: I was in the booth hidden from view. The work was in this regard routine. Still the highest raking personalities I have ever worked for: der Kaiser and O Rei (the King). Hard to top that. Maybe there is still an Emperor somewhere? ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2024, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/franz-beckenbauer-dead-at-78/995782/10 "2024-01-09T05:12:59Z")
I was saddened to read this (and in fact was going to post it, but was beaten by 12h). One of the greatest footballers. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2024, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/franz-beckenbauer-dead-at-78/995782/11 "2024-01-09T06:57:55Z")
Jeez, I wish they’d spoiler the ages. David Soul dead at 80 a few days ago, now this. It’s bad enough knowing that legendary characters from your youth are dying, but even more shocking to be reminded how much time has passed.