Top 5 moments in the career of Der Kaiser - Franz Beckenbauer

#3 Domestic and European glory

Franz Beckenbauer won the European Cup thrice in three years with Bayern Munich

By 1968, Beckenbauer had established himself as a pivotal asset for both club and country. He was handed the Bayern captaincy by manager Branko Zebec for the 1968/69 season and almost inevitably, led the club to their first Bundesliga title finishing eight points ahead of Aachen. This league win dawned a new era in German football, the beginning of an implacable dynasty led by Der Kaiser himself that would go on to win every trophy imaginable.

Beckenbauer led his team to three consecutive Bundesliga titles from 1971 to 1974. But his finest feat as the captain of Bayern came between 1974 and 1976 when he helped the club win a hat-trick of European Cups, beating Atletico Madrid, Leeds United and Saint Etienne in the finals, thereby confirming Bayern’s reputation as a behemoth in European football.

He was counted among a select group of players who performed at their best irrespective of the platform. He led West Germany to a European Championship win only a year after he was made the captain of West Germany in 1971. The Germans beat the Soviet Union 3-0 in the final at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels and Beckenbauer was awarded the prestigious Ballon d’Or award for his efforts for both club and country.