"A Tribute To..." is back for a fourth edition. This time I look at the best defender ever to grace football: Franz Beckenbauer.
Nicknamed "Der Kaiser" for his commanding play, Franz Anton Beckenbauer often had the weight of a whole nation on his shoulders. He could play in central defence, defensive midfield or centre midfield, but he was most effective at playing the sweeper role, a position which he revolutionised.
Born on September 11, 1945, Beckenbauer came into a Germany which was poverty stricken and torn apart due to World War II. He starting playing football at eight years old, and was originally a centre-forward.
At 19 years old, Beckenbauer signed for Bayern Munich, and made his debut soon after, playing on the left wing. His first season as a professional player was a successful one, as he helped Bayern to promotion to the Bundesliga.
Beckenbauer and Munich soon came to public attention for their displays, and the team that had just the previous season been in the division below began putting in good displays against the established Bundesliga sides.
It was in his first season in the Bundesliga that Beckenbauer first got the call up to the West German national side. At this time he was still playing in a much more advanced role than he would later become famous for.
In 1966, Franz Beckenbauer got his first taste of a World Cup. At just 20 years old he had been included in the West Germany squad, and became an important part of it. His first ever World Cup appearance came against Switzerland, and it was one to remember.
Beckenbauer scored two goals en route to a 5-0 drubbing. He was beginning to shine on the world stage. Suddenly people were taking notice of this young man from Munich. He continued in that vain, scoring in the 4-0 quarter-final victory over Uruguay, and then again in the semi-final.
His four goals had fired West Germany to the final against England. Despite losing in extra-time in the final, Beckenbauer had exploded onto the world scene. He finished joint third top scorer of his first World Cup at just 20 years of age, from midfield.
In this same year he helped Bayern Munich to German Cup success. Another good year for Beckenbauer saw Munich repeat this feat the very next season. The German Cup wasn't the only piece of silverware that Beckenbauer and Munich picked up in 1967, however.
Just two years after winning promotion from the second tier of German football, Munich triumphed in Europe, winning the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. This was Beckenbauer's first taste of major success. But it wouldn't be his last.
The 1967/68 season saw Beckenbauer produce more wonderful displays and, at just 22, saw him rise to be one of Munich's top players, one of the Bundesliga's top players, and one of West Germany's top players.
Still at only 22, Beckenbauer was named captain for Bayern Munich's 1968/69 season. It was in this season when he really started experimenting in the sweeper position in which he would later become known as the best to have played there.
His leadership and consistent performances helped Bayern Munich to the Bundesliga crown, and German Cup success, giving Beckenbauer a League and Cup double in his first season as captain.
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