“He was the first foreign footballer I’d ever heard of” - Jamie Carragher pays tribute to Franz Beckenbauer
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has paid a glowing tribute to Franz Beckenbauer on the occasion of the latter's demise at the age of 78. Carragher revealed his admiration for the German legend, who revolutionised football and is considered as the father of modern-day defending.
Carragher started out as a forward and then played in midfield for the Liverpool academy before finding a home in central defence. Many years prior, Franz Beckenbauer had started out in midfield before converting to centre-back and making a name for himself.
Beckenbauer, fondly referred to as Der Kaiser or The Emperor, was one of the best players in the world in the 1960s and 70s. Jamie Carragher revealed on X that he grew up hearing tales of Beckenbauer's greatness.
"RIP Franz Beckenbauer ❤️
As a kid he was the first foreign footballer I’d ever heard of, that’s because if any player tried to play out from the back whether at pro or amateur level I would hear……
“He thinks he’s Beckenbauer”
That just shows the impact he had on the world game & how he helped change it.
Legend ⚽️"
Beckenbauer passed away after a brief period of illness. He spent the last few years of his life struggling with various health issues. He had had two heart surgeries in consecutive years in 2016 and 2017, and a hip replacement in 2018.
Like many players of his generation, Jamie Carragher grew up idolizing Beckenbauer. The Liverpool legend is just one out of many to have sent out touching tributes to the Emperor following his death.
Franz Beckenbauer - Football's trail-blazer
Franz Beckenbauer played for Bayern Munich, winning 13 major trophies in 13 years at the club. He was the first player to win the European Cup thrice in a row as captain of a club, when he emerged victorious from 1974 to 1976.
Franz Beckenbauer is also one of only three men, alongside Mario Zagallo and Didier Deschamps, to win the FIFA World Cup as a coach and player. He won the tournament as captain in 1974 and as a coach in 1990.
The legacy as Der Kaiser lives on after him, as his two Ballons d'Or wins remain etched in history. His style of defending - by playing out of the back - has also been widely adopted all over the world today.