Franz Beckenbauer

Franz Beckenbauer was a German footballer whose elegant, attack-minded interpretation of the libero role helped redefine modern defending. He captained West Germany to the 1974 FIFA World Cup and later managed the national team to victory at the 1990 tournament, making him one of the few people to win the competition as both player and coach. Closely associated with Bayern Munich, he later served as a football official and helped lead Germany’s successful bid to host the 2006 World Cup.