Bayern Munich and Germany icon Franz Beckenbauer dies aged 78

Beckenbauer, one of only three men to win the World Cup as player and as a coach, passed away on Sunday, the DFB said.

"Franz Beckenbauer was definitely the biggest German footballer of all time, and above all one of the greatest men who I have known," said DFB vice president Hans-Joachim Watzke.

Former captain of the German team in the 1970s, he had in the last years been suffering from health problems and lived mostly withdrawn from the public eye in Salzburg, just across from the German border.

Known in football-obsessed Germany as 'the Kaiser' meaning 'the Emperor', the defender played a central role in some of the country's greatest sporting achievements.

He won both the European Championship and World Cup with his country during his playing career, as well as managing the Germans to another World Cup in 1990.

Beckenbauer also had an illustrious club career - mainly with Bayern Munich - where he won the Ballon d'Or twice and the Bundesliga five times (four with Bayern, one with Hamburger SV).

He won three consecutive European Cups in 1974, 1975 and 1976 with Bayern, before finishing his career in 1984 following a spell with the New York Cosmos in the North American Soccer League.

Brazil legend Pele once said, “Beckenbauer was one of the best I ever saw play.” 

Off the pitch, the German had spells as president at Bayern and vice president of the German Football Association.

Former England midfielder Sir Bobby Charlton described him as “a great player, very positive, very fast and always dangerous. 

"It was my job to stop him in 1966 and 1970. He was the most dangerous player they had.

"He could do extraordinary things with his pace, control and ability, but if someone ran with him all the time it seemed to limit his danger.”