Our Footie Heroes - Franz Beckenbauer

Born on September 11th, 1945, in Munich, Germany,
Franz Anton Beckenbauer is the most graceful, elegant player
ever to set foot on a football pitch.
While critics believed he wasted his talents, Franz found a home in the sweeper position
(the last line of defence before the keeper), 
marshaling the 9 field players in front of him up and down the field.
What was once a playing position with strictly defensive obligations,
Franz re-thought the role and inserted offensive responsibilities
(this only could have happened with an approving nod from the sideline,
from the open-minded Bayern Munich coach Tschik Cajkovski).
Even though his club debut with Bayern Munich was only in 1964,
Franz was selected to the German National Team for the 1966 World Cup.
While they lost to England in the Final,
Franz somehow managed to finish as 3rd top scorer in the tournament
(once again, from a defensive position!). 
In the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, Franz lived up to his nickname of Der Kaiser
by continuing to play in the semi-final vs. Italy even though he had fractured his clavicle
(lesson to modern players who writhe in pain when an opponent barely nudges them:
stay on your fricken’ feet!).
In the 1974 World Cup in Germany,
Franz captained the team to victory over the favored Dutch,
rallying the troops to nullify the great Johan Cruyff.
His success in football was not just on the national stage
as he led Bayern Munich to three consecutive European Cups in 1974, 1975 and 1976.
The Emperor Franz did make it to these shores
and played with the All-Star team known as the New York Cosmos.
During his tenure here, the Cosmos won the N.A.S.L. Soccer Bowl three times.
And if that wasn’t enough, after retiring from playing,
he coached Germany to victory in the 1990 World Cup
(the only individual to hoist the trophy as captain AND as coach).
Next to the Volkswagen Beetle,
Franz Beckenbauer is the greatest thing Germany has ever produced.