Franz Beckenbauer the goalscorer: Remembering 5 of Der Kaiser’s greatest goals | Football News
Franz Beckenbauer died aged 78 on Monday, leaving behind a legacy that can’t quite be quantified. The greatest gift that Beckenbauer left for football was the idea that a defender can be so much more than someone who is supposed to stop the opposition’s forwards. It meant that while Der Kaiser was regarded as one of the greatest defenders of all time, he was also equally feared for his vision as a central midfielder and the role he could play in forming Bayern Munich and West Germany’s attacks. At times, he was the man to finish them as well.
Beckenbauer is in fact one of the most prolific goalscoring defenders of all time. He scored over 100 goals in his career, 14 of which came for West Germany and four came in the 1966 World Cup alone. Here we recall some of his most memorable goals for club and country. It has to be noted that the list has been made in no particular order of importance or greatness. It is probably best to enjoy the goals and celebrate Beckenbauer rather than make an attempt at ranking them.
1. 1966 World Cup Group Stage – West Germany vs Switzerland
Beckenbauer scored twice in his World Cup debut as Germany thrashed Switzerland 5-0. His first goal was pretty much the perfect introduction for the world to the then 20-year-old’s talent and ability to read the game. Beckenbauer received the ball from Helmut Haller, and ran into the defensive hole that was there just in front of the box, played a deft one-two with captain Uwe Seeler, took another touch to burst past two converging Swiss defenders inside the box and caressed the ball past the goalkeeper.
2. 1966 World Cup Semi-Final – West Germany vs USSR
Haller had opened the scoring and put West Germany ahead but Beckenbauer’s worldie turned out to be the difference between the two sides, with Soviets scoring a late goal. It started with a corner kick for Germany after which the ball rolled out of the box. Beckenbauer cut to his left with his first touch while approaching the box and then unleashed a shot at the near post through a sea of bodies. Germany reached the final to face England and interestingly, Beckenbauer was tasked with man-marking opposition talisman Bobby Charlton, and the latter was tasked with man-marking Beckenbauer by the England coach. England ended up winning the match in a game in which two of the best players on the pitch did little more than diligently follow each other.
3. 1965 German Cup Final – Bayern Munich vs MSV Duisburg
Bayern Munich’s current period of dominance really began in 1965, when they managed to gain promotion to the two-year-old Bundesliga with a young team consisting, among others, Beckenbauer, forward Gerd Muller and goalkeeper Sepp Maier. The trio have since been called Bayern’s golden axis, leading the team’s dominance in subsequent years and their first trophy came in the form of 1965 Germany Cup. The final against MSV Duisburg was a goal fest and Beckenbauer scored last in the 82nd minute. Bayern thus won 4-2 and Beckenbauer won the first trophy of his career.
4. 1970 World Cup Quarter-Final – West Germany vs England
This game is often cited as the one that deflated England’s morale to the extent that they were never able to win any major title since their 1966 World Cup victory, and the reason why they seem to be especially elated when they beat Germany in a big tournament. England were 2-0 up at half-time but in the second-half, Beckenbauer inspired a comeback with a sensational goal in the 68th minute. He received the ball inside the English half of the field and ran at Alan Mullery before dipping a shoulder and darting past his left. With Mullery just about catching up, Beckenbauer unleashed a low shot from just outside the box and found the target. Captain Seeler then scored the equaliser in the 82nd minute and Germany forced the match into extra-time. Muller scored in the 108th and Germany took the game 3-2.
5. 1965/66 Bundesliga – Bayern Munich vs Karlsruhrer SC
This may have been nothing more than a league game, as opposed to the other matches in this list, but it was significant in the way that this was Beckenbauer’s first goal in the German top flight for Bayern Munich. It was a sensational strike as well, with Beckenbauer smashing it in from well outside the box past the goalkeeper. Bayern won that match 5-1 in a season that pretty much began their ongoing era of domination in domestic football.
