Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, FC Bayern Munich and tens of thousands of fans said goodbye to Franz Beckenbauer with a dignified memorial ceremony in the Munich Arena.
In sadness and deep gratitude, long-time companions such as Uli Hoeneß and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge gathered together with around 20,000 fans in the Munich Arena to remember the most important figure in German football history.
“I don’t know whether the angels in heaven play sports,” said Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in his speech. “But if so, then you will have certainly heard this new, somewhat Bavarian-sounding voice in the last few days: Go out and play football.”
With these legendary words, team boss Beckenbauer sent his national team into the 1990 World Cup final against Argentina (1-0) – a few hours later he walked alone across the lawn of the Olympic Stadium in Rome as a silent triumphant. The World Cup team from back then laid a wreath: “Franz – thank you for everything”.
Uli Hoeneß: “I miss you a lot!”
Bayern Munich’s honorary president Uli Hoeneß particularly remembered his friend’s human qualities in a touching memorial speech: “I always particularly liked his ability to take care of others,” said Hoeneß. “If you had a problem, you went to Franz. He took care of it.” Hoeneß concluded: “You’ve been dead for twelve days now. I miss you very much. Thank you very much.”
Beckenbauer was “generous to no end,” Hoeneß recalled: “He was always there for others, he never bucked up and kicked down, but the other way around.” Finally, in New York, the “little boy from Giesing” became a citizen of the world. “You would never have expected a person with this talent to have his meticulousness and hard work. He was humble and never let the big Max out.”
Beckenbauer’s masterpiece, however, was bringing the 2006 World Cup to Germany. “He worked his butt off for years, traveling to the farthest corners of the world to get the votes,” said Hoeneß. “He gave people a different view of our country.” An “unspeakable media campaign” then damaged Beckenbauer’s monument.
FC Bayern President Hainer praises Beckenbauer as a role model
Bayern President Herbert Hainer paid tribute to Beckenbauer in his own way: “Mia san Franz. We will miss him as a personality, as a person. You simply had to admire him,” he said in his eulogy. “FC Bayern will always remain an empire – forever.”
Beckenbauer was “a role model for all generations,” added Hainer. On his death he said: “The world of FC Bayern Munich, the entire football world, became darker. For FC Bayern Munich, Franz Beckenbauer meant everything.” But the president of the German football record champions also said: “Franz firmly believed that death is just a stage. That it remains a part of us. Dear Franz – this thought is comforting, that you are still with us.”
Imperial weather and greetings from the Pope
Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder said that the history of FC Bayern and that of Franz Beckenbauer were inextricably linked: “He was one of the very greatest Bavarians and one of the greatest Germans. It is like a sign from heaven that it is imperial weather on this day. Repay him God, Franz Beckenbauer.”
Cardinal Reinhard Marx, Archbishop of Munich and Freising, sent greetings from Pope Francis and blessed the bereaved.
Bastian Schweinsteiger moved
World champion and ARD football expert Bastian Schweinsteiger provided a thoughtful moment after the memorial service in the Blickpunkt sports studio: “It was very emotional, very significant – I will never forget that,” he said. Schweinsteiger described the “Emperor” with the words: “He passed on his wisdom. He was super friendly. He had a lightness and elegance in his being. Everything he touched turned to gold.”
Other former teammates in the club and the national team laid roses in the center circle at the beginning of the celebration. Including Paul Breitner, Berti Vogts, Rainer Bonhof, Wolfgang Overath, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Lothar Matthäus, his 1990 World Cup captain.
As the ceremony continued, not only Steinmeier and Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz paid their last respects to the “Emperor”, but also many football and sports celebrities. Günter Netzer, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Rudi Völler and national coach Julian Nagelsmann came, as did his predecessor Hansi Flick and Joachim Löw, Boris Becker and the entire current Bayern team around Harry Kane and Thomas Müller. Real Madrid and FC Barcelona sent delegations. They all wanted to say goodbye to the emperor.
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Wolfgang Overath and Lothar Matthäus laid flowers for Franz Beckenbauer
Beckenbauer, world champion as a player in 1974, died on January 7th in Salzburg at the age of 78. Five days later he was laid to rest next to his parents in the cemetery at Perlacher Forst in Munich.
Source: Blickpunkt Sport
January 19, 2024 – 2:25 p.m
