The football community mourns the passing of Franz Beckenbauer, a German and Bayern Munich legend who passed away aged 78.
While his legacy in football remains unmatched, boasting numerous domestic and European titles and successful World Cup victories as both player and manager, off-field controversies marked his later years.
Amidst accolades, he faced multiple controversies including tax scandals, marital affairs, and corruption allegations that tainted his reputation.
Tax Issues: During the mid-1970s, Beckenbauer paid 1.6 million D-Marks in back taxes due to income tax shielding via an invalid financial structure. Subsequently, he relocated to Switzerland for tax reasons and faced fines for evading taxes. Later, he moved to Austria for favorable tax rates.
Love life and family
Marriages and Children: Known as “Der Kaiser,” Beckenbauer married three times. His marriages with Brigitte and Sybille ended in divorce, followed by marrying Heidi until his death. He fathered five children, including Stephan, who tragically passed away in 2015. He also had an illegitimate child with Heidi after an affair.
Phone intimacy
Personal Scandals: In 2006, a phone advertisement led to Beckenbauer receiving unwanted calls from individuals seeking intimate chats due to a number mix-up, stemming from the German pronunciation of ‘six’ (‘sechs’) sounding like the word for physical intimacy.
Corruption
FIFA Corruption Allegations: Despite successful stints in football administration, Beckenbauer faced damning bribery accusations. In 2006, a payment to FIFA sparked accusations of vote-buying for World Cup hosting rights. Beckenbauer denied involvement but admitted to falsely declaring the payment’s purpose. Later, he faced FIFA suspensions for non-cooperation in inquiries regarding World Cup allocations to Russia and Qatar.
Investigations into Beckenbauer revealed suspicious payments, including €1.7 million from the South African Football Association and €5.5 million from the German FA. These transactions, despite Beckenbauer’s claims of pro-bono work, raised questions of tax evasion.
In summary, Beckenbauer’s footballing brilliance coexisted with controversies involving tax evasion, multiple marriages, a phone advertisement mix-up, and FIFA corruption allegations. These issues cast shadows on his illustrious career, leaving a complex legacy that transcends his on-field achievements.
https://theindependent.co/conservatives-giving-props-to-court-system/
Cover Photo: IG
