Owen Hargreaves says 'special' Franz Beckenbauer had similar aura to the Queen - 'He was simply unique'
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Published 09/01/2024 at 19:33 GMT
Former Bayern Munich midfielder Owen Hargreaves has described Franz Beckenbauer as a "legend". The two-time World Cup winner passed away earlier this week at the age of 78. He was club president at Bayern when Hargreaves joined the club in 1999, and the ex-England international says the German was a "very special" character who "was way ahead of his time" as a player.
'Shaped German football like no other' - Rummenigge pays tribute to 'great' Beckenbauer
Former Bayern Munich midfielder Owen Hargreaves has paid tribute to Franz Beckenbauer, following his passing at the age of 78.
Nicknamed 'The Kaiser', the German enjoyed a sensational playing career, in which he won five Bundesliga titles, three European Cups and the 1974 World Cup.
He remains the only defender to have won the Ballon D'or twice and is widely credited with creating the "sweeper" role.
"You only have to look at the old clips of him as a player," said TNT Sports pundit Hargreaves.
"He was way ahead of his time, so incredibly elegant, and that at a time when the game was often anything but elegant!
"The word 'legend' is often overused, but it absolutely fits here. He was one of the last great superstars of this era of football, so many of whom we have lost in recent years.
"It's just incredibly sad. For the whole soccer world, but especially for those who knew him, it is a bitter loss even more."
After hanging up his boots, Beckenbauer took charge of his country, who he guided to a runner-up place at the 1986 World Cup, before lifting the title four years later.
That makes him one of only three men to have won the tournament as both a player and manager.
He also became president of Bayern, and it was at that point that he formed a relationship with Hargreaves, who joined the club in 1997 after the future England international was plucked from Canadian side Calgary Foothills FC.
The midfielder would go on to enjoy seven years in the Bayern first team, lifting four Bundesliga titles and the European Cup before joining Manchester United.
And he says he cherishes every moment he spent with Beckenbauer.
"He had a big impact on the start of my career at Bayern," Hargreaves continued. "As president, he was one of the first people to say 'I really like that kid from Canada'.
"That had a big part. For me he was a really special person and definitely helped kick-start my career.
"He was simply an outstanding personality, a very special person.
"When I met him for the first time, I immediately sensed this aura around him. He always had a mischievous smile on his face, but also an incredible presence.
"It was almost as if he was glowing. I had that feeling with maybe a handful of people in my life. He was one of them.
"I had the same feeling around the Queen, who I had the pleasure of meeting a few times in my life.
"You hear so much about these people, then you meet them, and it's almost surreal, the charisma.
"You just want to observe as much as possible, soak up the moment. That's the feeling these two evoked in me.
"He was simply unique. There were many great personalities at Bayern. Uli Hoeness and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge were similarly important, but Franz was something completely different.
"When Franz Beckenbauer spoke, everyone listen. That's how it was."
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