Mourning for Franz Beckenbauer

Yet he did not only set standards as a player, but also as a coach and an official. As head coach, he steered the German national team to the title at the 1990 World Cup in Italy. And as the head of the World Cup Organising Committee in 2006, he played a major part in helping Germany enjoying a "summer fairytale" at their home tournament. However, Franz Beckenbauer was not only respected and revered worldwide as an sportsman, but above all as a person. In recent years, the Munich-born footballer, who was in poor health, has increasingly withdrawn from the public sphere. Surrounded by his family, Franz Beckenbauer passed away on Sunday (January 7) aged 78.

"German football, and by extension the TSG family, is mourning the loss of its greatest icon. And I personally have lost a friend in Franz," said TSG shareholder Dietmar Hopp of the death of Beckenbauer, who was a frequent guest at Hoffenheim matches.