Quotes by Franz Beckenbauer

About Franz Beckenbauer:

Franz Anton Beckenbauer is a German former professional footballer and manager. Early in his playing career he was nicknamed Der Kaiser ("The Emperor") because of his elegant style, dominance and leadership on the field, and also as his first name "Franz" is reminiscent of the Austrian emperors. He is widely regarded to be one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. A versatile player who started out as a midfielder, Beckenbauer made his name as a central defender. He is often credited as having invented the role of the modern sweeper or libero.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

It would make me a lot happier if I could meet up again next year with as many friends as possible from all over the world who I've met during my career. That's where the great opportunity lies, for me personally, in our role as World Cup host.

Franz Beckenbauer

The Olympic stadium may have been built only in the early 1970s but it was clear for a long time it had no future. For many reasons it is not good enough for modern football and today's fans.

Franz Beckenbauer

At least six Bayern players, who have won almost everything, are in the national squad.

Franz Beckenbauer

Certainly it is a different world for players nowadays. But it depends on the individual.

Franz Beckenbauer

For example, Michael Jordan earns $100million a year but continues to play basketball and remains a modest human being.

Franz Beckenbauer

Since Sven Goran Eriksson took over, England have been fantastic.

Franz Beckenbauer

We should not fool ourselves. We are not one of the world's top teams any more.

Franz Beckenbauer

At the World Cup and even now at the Confederations Cup, our security provisions will ensure the greatest level of protection possible for all those participating - both inside and outside the stadiums.

Franz Beckenbauer

The trouble for today's footballers is they have too many distractions. We used to get our old players coming to watch training with football magazines in their hands. Now, more often than not, they are checking the share prices.

Franz Beckenbauer

We are the last remaining country to allow ourselves two breaks in the season. You just have to look at England, Italy and Spain, they play right through the season. We on the other hand take six weeks off in the winter until the end of January, and ...

Franz Beckenbauer

In the World Cup, much depends for every team on how it develops during the tournament. There are always rising tensions. They come from within, and they come from the media.

Franz Beckenbauer

I kept my speeches short as captain. I focused on the key points of the opposition of the day. As coach, I was never afraid to give long speeches to the players throughout our preparations. It was important they had all the information possible.

Franz Beckenbauer

Rugby is a different game. There is an interruption every two minutes also in American football. Our soccer is a moving game: play, play, play, move, move - you don't interrupt.

Franz Beckenbauer

German football is like English football. The Germans and the English do not play like a Brazilian side. They have to improve, bring up their young players, who have character.

Franz Beckenbauer

If a Middle Eastern sheikh comes to buy Bayern Munich, he could buy 49 per cent. Fifty-one per cent must stay in Germany with the club. That law came about because of the developments of international football.

Franz Beckenbauer

The strong one doesn't win, the one that wins is strong.

Franz Beckenbauer

The two designs are completely different. The first is totally futuristic, the second is more classical. You can of course get very excited about doing something completely out of the ordinary, just like the Olympic stadium in its time. But each to h...

Franz Beckenbauer

The most important thing however is the money. What use would it be to us, to have a a mighty stadium but a useless team, because we couldn't afford anything better?

Franz Beckenbauer

Back then, a half-a-century ago, the situation was totally different. Economically, we were practically on our knees, and politically, we were still excluded from the community of nations. Today, in this respect, we have a totally different and much ...

Franz Beckenbauer

At any rate, I can only see such a success having positive effects for everyone, particularly as our anticipation of the World cup would only increase further.

Franz Beckenbauer

Author Bio

  • NameFranz Beckenbauer
  • Descriptionformer German football player and global football legend
  • BornSeptember 11, 1945
  • CountryGermany
  • ProfessionAssociation Football Player; Association Football Manager
  • AwardsFootballer Of The Year In Germany; Bavarian Order Of Merit; Order Of Merit Of North Rhine-Westphalia; Silbernes Lorbeerblatt; Bayerische Verfassungsmedaille In Gold; Grand Merit Cross Of The Order Of Merit Of The Federal Republic Of Germany; ; Merit Cross Of The Lower Saxony Order Of Merit (1st Class); Steiger Award