German football is in mourning. "Kaiser Franz" passed away on Sunday at the age of 78. Franz Beckenbauer led the German national football team to World Cup triumph both as a player (1974) and a head coach (1990).

"Franz Beckenbauer was definitely the greatest German footballer of all time and – in addition that – one of the greatest people I've ever met," emphasised Hans-Joachim Watzke, the Chairman of the BVB Board of Management, adding: "Every single experience with Franz was wonderful. I can still remember having goosebumps all over my body when spoke to me as "Du" (editor's note: the informal way to say "you" in German) after our German title in 2010/2011. You can only really respect what Franz Beckenbauer has done for Germany and German football."

Franz Beckenbauer spent the first 13 years of his unique professional career, which started in 1964 and ended in 1983, at Bayern Munich, with whom he won the European Champions Cup three times, the European Cup Winners' Cup once, the Bundesliga five times and the DFB-Pokal four times.

Beckenbauer is survived by five children. "The thoughts of the entire BVB family are with the Beckenbauer family at this time. We're mourning the loss of the icon of German football. Beckenbauer's accomplishments cannot be regarded highly enough," said Borussia Dortmund President Dr. Reinhold Lunow. (br)