Beckenbauer statue unveiled outside Bayern’s Allianz Arena

A bronze statue of Germany shot fable Franz Beckenbauer was unveiled extracurricular Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena connected Friday, a time aft what would person been his 80th birthday.

Known arsenic the ‘Kaiser’, the German connection for emperor, for his elegant and commanding playing style, the statue is the latest successful a bid of honours for Beckenbauer, who died successful January 2024 aged 78.

The statue depicts Beckenbauer looking up with his close ft connected the ball.

It is simply a diagnostic airs successful his emblematic ‘Libero’ presumption down the defence which the Munich-born footballer is wide credited with reinventing during the 1970s.

Beckenbauer won the Bundesliga and the World Cup arsenic some a subordinate and a manager, on with lifting the European Cup, the precursor to today’s Champions League, 3 times from 1974-1976.

“Standing present today, unveiling the statue and seeing however galore radical person travel on is simply a moving moment,” Bayern president Herbert Hainer said.

“I had go precise bully friends with Franz Beckenbauer implicit the past fewer years. We each miss him – not conscionable arsenic a footballer, but supra each arsenic a person.”

Beckenbauer’s reddish Bayern no. 5 jersey has besides been painted into the Allianz Arena rafters, portion the thoroughfare starring up to the stadium has been renamed Franz Beckenbauer Place.

The German Super Cup, a pre-season lucifer featuring the league and cupful winners, was renamed the Franz Beckenbauer Super Cup up of this campaign.

Opening successful 2005, the Allianz Arena was planned and built nether the enactment of Beckenbauer on with long-time Bayern powerbrokers Uli Hoeness and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, some of whom were contiguous connected Friday.

The statue is the 2nd to beryllium erected connected the esplanade extracurricular the 75,000-seat stadium, aft erstwhile Bayern and Germany striker Gerd Mueller.

Munich politician Dieter Reiter said the statue was “the highest honour the metropolis tin bestow connected idiosyncratic posthumously”.

Beckenbauer won the Ballon d’Or twice, successful 1972 and 1976, making him the lone defender successful past to triumph the grant connected 2 oregon much occasions.

The station Beckenbauer statue unveiled extracurricular Bayern’s Allianz Arena appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.