It is so sad to hear the news about Franz Beckenbauer, coming so soon after the death of England's own footballing hero Sir Bobby Charlton. Sir Alf Ramsey sacrificed Charlton's abilities in the 1966 World Cup final so he could do a man-marking job on Beckenbauer, so worried was he about the threat the German posed. Beckenbauer had to wait another eight years to get his hands on the Jules Rimet Trophy, part of the mid-70s period when Bayern were dominating the club scene in Europe. In a matter of months, we have lost two of this continents greatest ever players.

Source: Express January 08, 2024 20:09 UTC