UEFA, who are the organisers of the EURO tournament, will pay tribute to the legendary German icon, Franz Beckenbauer, at the upcoming EURO opening ceremony on Friday 14th June.
Beckenbauer, who passed away on January 7th, 2024, at the age of 78, left an indelible mark on the sport, both as a player and coach.
The opening ceremony will take place before the competition’s opening game between hosts Germany and Scotland at the Allianz Arena.
It will feature a poignant moment as Beckenbauer’s wife will be joined by two of Germany’s European Championship winning captains, Bernard Dietz (1980) and Jürgen Klinsmann (1996), to bring the prestigious Henri Delaunay Cup onto the pitch.
This symbolic gesture will aim to show that all three of Germany’s EURO triumphs are represented, in addition to honoring Beckenbauer’s unparalleled contributions to the national team’s success.
The Henri Delaunay Cup is the Euro trophy, and it’ll be awarded to the winner of the competition later on July 14th.
Beckenbauer’s influence on German football is unmatched. As a player, he captained West Germany to glory in the 1972 European Championship and as a coach, he won the 1990 World Cup.
He was also a key member of the renowned Bayern Munich team that won three successive European Cups between 1974 and 1976, while also claiming five Bundesliga titles, which included four as a player and one as coach, during his illustrious career.
In 1990, Beckenbauer took on the role of the national team’s head coach, leading Germany to the FIFA World Cup title, cementing his legacy as one of the most influential figures in the sport’s history.
