Franz Beckenbauer, a name synonymous in German football folklore, was one of the best players ever to grace a football pitch. Born in the ruins of post-World War II Germany in 1945, Beckenbauer had a difficult upbringing as a child.

Growing up in a working-class community in Giesing, and despite his father’s rather cynical views towards the game of football, Beckenbauer fought his way through all impediments to establish himself as one of the most ubiquitous figures in football history.

Credited for pioneering the role of the modern day sweeper, Beckenbauer’s influence and contribution to football borders on an unprecedented level. To celebrate the Der Kaiser’s legacy, we take a look at the top five moments in his illustrious career.

#5 Switching Loyalties

Franz Beckenbauer supported 1860 Munich before moving to rivals Bayern Munich

Beckenbauer grew up idolising 1954 FIFA World Cup winner and FC Kaiserslautern forward Fritz Walter. Like Walter, Beckenbauer initially started his journey in football as a centre forward. It wasn’t until much later that he started experimenting by playing in the ‘attacking sweeper’ role, and quite frankly, fundamentally redefining the position.

The German supported Bayern Munich’s bitter rivals 1860 Munich. “It was always my dream to play for them,” he would later confess in his life. Why he would join his beloved club’s arch-rivals Bayern has an interesting backstory to it.

At the age of 9, Beckenbauer joined the youth side of SC Munich ’06. He was aware of the club’s financial difficulties in running their youth teams and was determined to switch his allegiance to Munich 1860. In an U-14 tournament in Neubiberg, SC Munich ’06 were up against Munich 1860 in the final. After a series of niggles and squabbles between the two sides, Beckenbauer was slapped in the face by a Munich 1860 player.

This incident festered in the mind of the young Beckenbauer who eventually decided to join Bayern Munich and the rest as they say, is history. The future Germany captain would go on to win every trophy imaginable with Bayern making it an inexorable force in German football.

#4 Rise of Der Kaiser