At their annual general meeting, Bayern Munich have announced that they will retire the number five jersey in honour of legendary defender Franz Beckenbauer.
Beckenbauer died earlier this year due to natural causes and words cannot describe how important he has been in moulding Bayern into the team they are today.
The Giesing-born defender revolutionised the sweeper position due to his intelligence and passing ability. Alongside Sepp Maier and Gerd Müller, Beckenbauer helped Bayern earn promotion to the Bundesliga in 1964 before winning the Meisterscharle four times between 1968 and 1974. During this period Bayern would win three European Cups in a row from 1974-76.
He would return as Bayern’s president in 1994 stepping up to the role after being drafted in to save Bayern’s season in 1993/94 and led them to the Bundesliga title. The Munich native would then take over Bayern for one final time in 1996 as caretaker. Beckenbauer stepped down as the club president in 2009.
Internationally, Beckenbauer was a central figure in Germany’s World Cup win in 1974 as a player and again in 1990 as head coach. He would also lead the DFB’s bid to host the 2006 World Cup, albeit controversially.
The last player to wear number five for Bayern was Benjamin Pavard.
GGFN | Jack Meenan
