Franz Beckenbauer’s death came as a shock to world football, and Mircea Lucescu fondly recalled the moment he swapped shirts with the German football legend at a friendly match between Romania and Germany in 1970.

Mircea Lucescu on Franz Beckenbauer: “What he did was outside of football. Ballet, not football”

Franz Beckenbauer, a former outstanding player of the German national team, died on Monday at the age of 78.

A two-time Golden Ball winner, European and world champion with the German national team, Beckenbauer left a real legacy for German football.

Athletes and his former opponents reacted to the news that Der Kaiser is no more, and Mircea Lucescu also told GSP about the defining moment of his career, namely the exchange of shirts at the end of a friendly between Romania and Germany, from 1970 year

“I find it unbelievable that Franz Beckenbauer is no more.

He was the prototype of a defender with an attacking spirit. Intelligence, elegance, intuition to cover the spaces. A legend who had a decisive influence on football.

Franz was the player I swapped shirts with in April 1970 after a friendly against Germany in Stuttgart, shortly before the World Cup in Mexico. Number 4, I can’t forget that number. Then we tied the score 1:1.”

Mircea Lucescu also emphasized what he really likes about Beckenbauer, what makes him stand out and why he is one step ahead of everyone else.

“I was amazed, I deeply admired him. What he did was outside of football. Ballet, not football. How easily he ran, seemed to dance, swam. Pure elegance.

He won so many trophies, both as a player and as a coach. He retired in triumph in 1990, having led the German national team to the World Cup title and as a coach, not just on the pitch as a captain.

A great loss for football.

So many memorable moments. These images last forever: Beckenbauer playing in the 1970 World Cup semi-final against Italy with his right arm bandaged. What a character he had! He would not leave his team, his teammates, no matter what.

All my memories are connected with its evolution. The meeting with him and the draw with Germany became a huge boost for us in the final tournament that took place.

How he dominated the game, how he appeared on the field exactly where he was needed and how he advanced with the ball at his feet. He wore number 4, started from a defensive position, but had an attacking mindset.

The best player in history at his position. Central defender and also in front of the defence. He turned the area of ​​struggle, tackling, and toughness into the space of football. He was the epitome of an attacking defender, an attacking defender. Intelligence, intuition to cover the spaces. A legend who had a decisive influence on football.” – concluded Mircea Lucescu.

The impressive career of Franz Beckenbauer

A Bayern Munich legend, Beckenbauer also played for Hamburg and the New York Cosmos and won the Ballon d’Or twice in 1972 and 1976.

After his retirement, Kaiser Franz became the coach of the West German national team before ending his six-year spell on the bench following Italy’s 1990 World Cup triumph against Diego Maradona’s Argentina side.

Bernard Tapie entrusted him with the management of Olympique de Marseille, who were looking for their first continental title. His adventure at Marseille lasted just a few months (from 20 September to 31 December 1990) before he was replaced by Raymond Goethals and briefly promoted to the club’s sporting director.

After returning to Bayern Munich, where he managed the first team in 1994 and again in 1996, Franz Beckenbauer established himself as one of the club’s iconic managers.

The president of the supervisory board until 2009, when he was succeeded by Uli Heness, the legendary former central midfielder remained the honorary president of the Munich club until his death, writes News.ro.