BERLIN: Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel (pix) on Thursday lauded the “extraordinary” Franz Beckenbauer, who died last weekend aged 78.
In an interview with the Bundesliga website, Tuchel said it was “very striking to me that he’s so, so humble”.
“Being that extraordinary person, that extraordinary player and coach of the German national team and coach here of Bayern Munich” Tuchel said.
“And winning all the titles that you can win and still (to) be that humble and a low-key personality was always outstanding.”
Beckenbauer, who won the World Cup as both a player and a manager, has been lauded and praised this week from across German society for his contributions to the game.
“I think that’s the greatest gift… that everybody felt close to him even if you were not close.”
The Munich-born Beckenbauer joined Bayern as a junior player and helped the club to their first-ever promotion to the Bundesliga, before helping build the side into a European powerhouse club.
He won four titles as a player with Bayern and coached them to another before becoming club president.
Tuchel was appointed Bayern coach in March 2023 and helped guide the club to their 11th straight Bundesliga title, beating runners-up Borussia Dortmund on goal difference.
“No one’s going to do that again,“ Tuchel said of Beckenbauer’s career. “I mean the way he played, that he won everything.
“It was a revolution how he played. The elegance and the commitment. And going overseas to New York and all these things that are now fashionable.
“He made way for a lot of generations to come afterwards and is still a role model in many things that he did.”
Bayern host Hoffenheim on Friday in Munich, with all Bundesliga clubs set to mark Beckenbauer’s passing with a pre-game moment of silence this weekend. –AFP
