Football world mourns death of German legend Franz Beckenbauer, see who said what

Germany’s greatest footballer ever, Franz Beckenbauer, passed away aged 78 on Monday, the German Football Association confirmed. Regarded as perhaps the best defender to grace this game, Franz was a decorated footballer, having won countless accolades both as a player and manager. Upon receiving the news of his death, the football world came to a standstill, with everyone mourning the passing away of a legend.

From winning plenty of trophies at the club level to winning the World Cup in 1974, Franz had tasted success at the highest level and was a pioneer of German football.

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• «Franz Beckenbauer was definitely the biggest German footballer of all time, and above all one of the greatest men who I have known,» said DFB vice president Hans-Joachim Watzke.

  Franz was also one of the only three players ever to win a World Cup as a footballer and a manager. Though he lifted the title as a player during his prime in the 70s, Franz led Germany to a World Cup trophy in 1990 as a manager.

  Meanwhile, outside of being the four-time German Player of the Year, Franz won the FIFA Order of Merit and was also awarded the coveted Ballon d’Or prize twice. His list of accolades also include the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award (2007) and FIFA Presidential Award (2012).

  Not just as a footballer but also as part of the boardroom, Franz succeeded at all levels. From holding several positions at Bayern Munich, from being the club's president to becoming its advisory board's chairman to later becoming FIFA’s vice president, the legendary German footballer had seen it all.

  Here is how everyone reacted to his death -