By Rajat Subhra Chatterjee
0065
Two of the greatest football Icons of World Football – Mario Zagallo & Franz Beckenbaure have breathed their last within three days in January, 2024. Similar coincidence had occurred in Indian Football as well, in 2020, when two of the Greatest Football Stars of India – P K Banerjee and Chuni Goswami – had passed away within 40 days !!
This piece is exclusively reserved for Franz Beckenbaure – called dearly as Der Kaiser. Beckenbauer was a hugely gifted and versatile footballer who started as a midfielder, but shifted himself in deep defence as a central defender. He is credited as the inventor of the role of the modern Sweeper or Libero where he was unparallel. Indian Football lovers may attempt to draw a similarity to the fact when Ciric Milovan, much later, as India’s coach had used Subrata Bhattacharya in the same position with much success.
This debate had opened up after 1974. Who was greater ? Bobby Moore or Franz Beckenbauer? Yours truly feels very humbly, both were great yet Beckenbauer left his competitors way behind because of his all round skill & ability. Huge presence of great defenders like Giacinto Facchetti & Maldini of Italy, Brazilian Luiz Bellini, Carlos Alberto and Roberto Carlos, Argentine Daniel Passarella notwithstanding, Kaiser has marched ahead in International Football simply for his versatility. Without being a fascinating dribbler like Pele or Maradona, Beckenbauer was a hugely popular figure and was a crowd puller.
In death Zagallo and Beckenbauer have left a huge simili that has only one other example i.e. of France’s Didier Deschamps in winning World Cup both as a player and as a coach. Zagallo had won World Cup as a footballer in 1958 & 1962 and as a coach in 1970 at Mexico. Zagallo was amongst the five forwards of Brazil 1962 squad – Garrincha, Didi, Vava, Pele and Zagallo, though Pele could not play the final due to injury. Beckenbauer finished runner up as a player in 1966 when England won the cup with Bobby Moor as their leader. Led Germany in 1974 and beat Johan Cruyff’s Netherlands in the final 2-1. And as a coach in 1990 won the World Cup beating Maradona’s Argentina. Rummenigge scored the all important goal.
Man proposes, God disposes. Beckenbauer had wished a kingly death. He wished to die slowly, feeling that he was going away, aspiring to meet God on his way and bidding goodbye to his beloved ones. He wished to prepare his soul for the ultimate through this passage to death. But his wish remained unfulfilled as Kaiser has died in his sleep. Not known if at all he could feel in his sleep that he was going away ! Whatever the way he is gone, how many on earth could even wish to cherish a life as Beckenbauer spent and reached the pinnacle of glory ?
What not Beckenbauer has contributed ? He acted in films! Sang Pop! Was hailed as an Emperor by all and sundry. Got involved in many controversies, lived in exile in Austria in his last years, yet nothing could demean his spirits. Lost his son through cancer but periodically visited his son’s graveyard as he himself believed- there was still a life beyond death. It would not be known, if Franz would return in to a new life ! If at all, in what capacity?
Imagine, even Borris Becker was awed to address him – “ how should I address you? Hero, Emperor or simply Franz?” What Becker must have known that Beckenbauer was regarded by the World Soccer Magazine as the fourth Greatest Footballer of 20th Century.
Concluded.
