Franz Beckenbauer, who led West Germany to World Cup success as a captain and manager, has been remembered as a “visionary” after his death at the age of 78.
Nicknamed ‘Der Kaiser’ (The Emperor) for his commanding style on the field, Beckenbauer was widely recognised as one of the best players in the game’s history.
A dominant midfielder or attacking sweeper, Beckenbauer won the World Cup as a player in 1974 and again as manager in 1990 – one of only three men to have done so.
He also won the European Cup three times in a row with Bayern Munich, the club he had joined at the age of 13 and later went on become a football administrator.
Beckenbauer’s health had been in decline for some time and, on Monday afternoon, Beckenbauer’s family announced his death in a statement to German news agency DPA.
“It is with deep sadness that we announce that my husband and our father, Franz Beckenbauer, passed away peacefully in his sleep yesterday, Sunday, surrounded by his family,” the statement read.
“We ask that you allow us to grieve in silence and refrain from asking any questions.”
The German Football Association (DFB) paid tribute to Beckenbauer, named European Footballer of the Year in both 1972 and 1976, as someone who “influenced football in Germany like no other”.
DFB director of the senior national team Rudi Voller played under Beckenbauer in 1990.
“I consider it one of the great privileges of my life to have known and experienced Franz Beckenbauer,” Voller said on the official DFB website.
“Our time together with the national team was crowned with the 1990 World Cup title in Rome, a title that would never have been possible without his outstanding coaching performance.
“The ‘Kaiser’ was an inspiration for more than one generation, he will forever remain the shining light of German football.
“With Franz Beckenbauer, German football is losing its greatest personality. I am losing a good friend.”
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann hailed Beckenbauer as “the best footballer in German history”.
Nagelsmann added: “His interpretation of the role of the libero changed the game, this role and his friendship with the ball made him a free man.
“Franz Beckenbauer was able to float on the lawn, as a footballer and later also as a coach he was sublime, he stood above things.
“When Franz Beckenbauer entered a room, the room lit up, he rightly earned the title ‘lighting figure of German football’.
“An aura surrounded him until the end, which even the health problems and strokes of fate that he had to cope with could not shake.
Lothar Matthaus captained Germany’s 1990 World Cup-winning side.
“The shock is deep, even though I knew that Franz wasn’t feeling well. His death is a loss for football and for Germany as a whole,” Matthaus told German media outlet Bild.
“He was one of the greatest as a player and coach, but also off the field. Franz was an outstanding personality not only in football, and he enjoyed worldwide recognition.
“Everyone who knew him knows what a great and generous person Franz was. A good friend left us. I will miss him – we will all miss him.”
Bayern Munich posted a heartfelt tribute on the club’s social media account.
“The world of FC Bayern is no longer what it used to be – suddenly darker, quieter, poorer,” a club statement read.
“The German record champions mourn Franz Beckenbauer, the unique “Emperor”, without whom FC Bayern would never have become the club it today is. Rest in peace.”
Former Bayern Munich chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge felt his former team-mate “rewrote the history of German football and left a lasting impact on it”.
Rummenigge added: “As a personality, he impressed with his great respect for all people – because everyone was equal before Franz.
“German football is losing the greatest personality in its history. We will miss him more than painfully. Thank you for everything, dear Franz.”
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin believes Beckenbauer’s legacy as one of football’s all-time greats is “beyond dispute”.
“His unparalleled versatility, graceful transitions between defence and midfield, impeccable ball control, and visionary style reshaped the way football was played in his era,” Ceferin said in a statement.
“His leadership qualities shone through as he captained both the national team and Bayern Munich during their most successful periods and continued to shine bright in his coaching career.
“Beckenbauer’s legacy as one of football’s all-time greats is beyond dispute.”
Chicago Fire v New England Revolution: Acosta says composure key for misfiring hosts
Kellyn Acosta says the Chicago Fire need to be more precise with their ball progression if they are to end their barren run and begin to climb the MLS standings.
Frank Klopas' team sit 12th in the Eastern Conference and have failed to win – or even find the net – in three matches ahead of Saturday's clash with the New England Revolution.
Chicago scored nine goals in their first five MLS matches in 2024 but have since netted two in their last five, and midfielder Acosta says composure is the key to improving their attacking output.
"It's a combination of moving the ball back to front and finding our forwards," Acosta said.
"I feel like we've got to get them the ball in dangerous areas where they are bringing out their qualities, and I think we have not done a good job of progressing the ball to them."
The Revs, meanwhile, sit bottom of the East with just four points through their first nine matches under Caleb Porter, being thrashed 4-1 by a Lionel Messi-inspired Inter Miami side last time out.
Nacho Gil has joined several other New England players on a lengthy injury list, and Porter says the team must be cautious as they navigate a route through a testing spell.
"If we're good with our planning… you can't avoid some injuries, but with soft tissue injuries, you can avoid a mistake," Porter said.
"The medical staff, the sports science staff, they'll have a plan to reintegrate these guys where they can hit the ground running."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Chicago Fire – Brian Gutierrez
The Fire failed to record a shot on target in last week's goalless draw at home to Atlanta United, the third time they have done so since the start of the 2022 campaign. No other team has done so more than once in that time.
Gutierrez was limited to the role of substitute for that game, but as Chicago's leading scorer with three league goals this year, he will surely come in to start this one.
New England Revolution – Carles Gil
Carles Gil leads all Revs players for goals (three) and chances created (27) so far this season. None of his team-mates have laid on more than 11 chances this term (Tomas Chancalay).
MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW
New England are winless in 17 MLS away matches (five draws, 12 defeats, including playoffs), in a run dating back to May 2023. Their longest ever winless run on the road in MLS is 18 matches between September 2016 to September 2017.
However, they may fancy their chances of taking something from Saturday's match, with Chicago only having two wins through their first 10 games of the season.
This is the sixth straight season in which they have failed to win at least three of their first 10 games of an MLS campaign. No other team in MLS history has done so in more than three straight years.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Chicago Fire – 37.7%
New England Revolution – 33.4%
Draw – 28.9%
Tuchel to make Bayern Munich changes for Stuttgart ahead of Real Madrid clash
Bayern Munich travel to Stuttgart this weekend and are ready to rotate their side with the Champions League semi-final second leg at Real Madrid to come four days later, manager Thomas Tuchel said.
The league title has been secured by Bayer Leverkusen, and with the Bundesliga's top five clubs guaranteed Champions League football next season, Saturday's clash between Bayern in second and third-placed Stuttgart is not crucial.
"We will give a few players the chance to pick up some rhythm," Tuchel said at his pre-match press conference on Friday.
"Of course, we will also take a few players out and allow ourselves to adapt the rhythm to Wednesday.
"But that doesn't relieve us of our responsibility, that those who play have to fight and show grit there."
Bayern drew 2-2 at home to Madrid on Tuesday, a game Matthijs de Ligt missed due to injury, and the Dutch defender will also sit out the trip to Stuttgart in the hope of making the return game in Spain.
"Matthijs de Ligt won't be in the squad, as the plan is that he returns to training on Sunday, then we have got three days," Tuchel said.
"Jamal Musiala won't be in the squad. Same procedure there. Dayot Upamecano will try and train [Friday], so we'll see."
Leroy Sane scored in the draw with Madrid, after missing the last four league games through injury. The winger has played three Champions League games in that time and will be in the squad for Stuttgart.
"You always try to have a connection to the players. Leroy's been training with pain for seven or eight weeks, but is always available," Tuchel said.
"He has a high threshold. He deserves the utmost respect there. He's a bit short there at the moment because he can't train properly.
"But he is in training and is coming to Stuttgart."
Bayern have 69 points, five ahead of Stuttgart with three games remaining.
Saudi Pro League: Mahrez and Firmino on target as Al-Ahli tighten grip on third place
Riyad Mahrez and Roberto Firmino were both on target as Al-Ahli tightened their grip on third place in the Saudi Pro League table with a 4-1 win over Damac on Thursday.
Matthias Jaissle's team were four goals up within just 25 minutes as Damac folded, Ziyad Al Johani and Feras Al Brikan netting their first two before Franck Kessie was felled by Dhari Al Anazi for a penalty, converted by Mahrez.
Firmino then tapped home a fourth after being teed up by former Newcastle United winger Allan Saint-Maximin on the break, but Al-Ahli took their foot off the gas from there, Domagoj Antolic's second-half consolation rounding off the scoring.
Elsewhere, 10-man Al-Riyadh scored two stoppage-time draws to earn a dramatic 2-2 draw with Al-Fateh in Al-Mubarraz.
Goals from Djaniny and former Columbus Crew star Lucas Zelarayan put Slaven Bilic's hosts on the brink of victory, with Al-Riyadh playing almost half the game a player down after Khalid Al Shuwayyi's 54th-minute red card.
An astonishing collapse denied them, however, with Mohammed Al Shwirekh halving the arrears one minute into stoppage time before Didier Ndong headed in a left-wing cross three minutes later.
Thursday's other game saw Al-Hazm and Al-Akhdoud play out a goalless draw, keeping the hosts bottom of the table while Al-Akhdoud inched two points clear of the relegation zone.
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