The football world says goodbye to Franz Beckenbauer. Prominent guests from all over the world come to Munich for this. This is what is known about the memorial service.
To pay their last respects to Franz Beckenbauer, the family, numerous friends and companions of the “Emperor” will gather in Munich’s Allianz Arena on Friday afternoon.
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, among others, wanted FC Bayern to organize the largest memorial service in the club’s history right there for Beckenbauer, who died on January 7th at the age of 78. In the stadium “that would never have existed without him,” as Rummenigge emphasized several times.
A worthy setting. Beckenbauer led FC Bayern from the regional league to triumph three times in a row (1974, 1975, 1976) in the European Cup, the predecessor competition to today’s Champions League. He ultimately helped make the record champions what they are today as a player, coach and president. Beckenbauer, who won the World Cup as a player in 1974 and as a coach in 1990 and brought the World Cup to Germany in 2006, has also made a contribution to German football like no other.
FC Bayern already announced on its homepage that it wanted to create a “special, emotional, unique setting” for the commemoration (from 3 p.m. in the stream and live ticker on t-online). t-online explains what is already known about how this works.
Who is on the guest list?
In addition to Bavaria’s honorary president Uli Hoeneß, the 74 world champions include Paul Breitner, Günter Netzer, Wolfgang Overath and Rainer Bonhof in the stadium. Also the long-time Bayern players Franz “Bulle” Roth, Philipp Lahm, Bastian SchweinsteigerMark van Bommel, Michael Ballack, Miroslav Klose, Bixente Lizarazu, Willy Sagnol, Jean-Marie Pfaff and Bernd Dürnberger. From Beckenbauer’s 1990 world champion team come Lothar Matthäus, Andreas Brehme, Klaus AugenthalerPierre Littbarski, Guido Buchwald, Olaf Thon, Rudi Völler and Karlheinz Riedle.
The coaching team will include Otto Rehhagel, national coach Julian Nagelsmann, his predecessor Hansi Flick, Felix Magath, Erich Ribbeck, Matthias Sammer, Niko Kovač, Horst Köppel and Holger Osieck in the Allianz Arena. Also, among others, the Bundesliga record player Charly Körbel, Jimmy Hartwig (formerly Hamburger SV), Hansi Müller (VfB Stuttgart) as well as DFB President Bernd Neuendorf, Oliver Bierhoff, Hans-Joachim Watzke and Oliver Mintzlaff.
Delegations from FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, among others, have confirmed their participation from abroad. President Joan Laporta and vice-president Rafael Yuste will represent “Barça”, honorary president Pirri and ex-striker Emilio Butragueño will represent “Royal”.
Tennis star Boris Becker, former skiers Christian Neureuther and Christa Kinshofer will also be there, as well as other representatives from culture and politics such as Edmund Stoiber, the Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann and Charlotte Knobloch, the President of the Jewish Community of Munich and Upper Bavaria.
Who will give the eulogy?
Contributions are planned from Bavaria’s President Herbert Hainer, Uli Hoeneß and Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU). Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is also scheduled to give a speech; according to information from the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) was concerned about possible catcalls. However, the Chancellery emphasized that Scholz’s speech was never planned.