German football legend Franz Beckenbauer has passed away at the age of 78. 

Beckenbauer held a special distinction in the football world as one of only a handful of players to have won the World Cup and then gone on to manage a team to victory in the tournament as well. 

As a defender, he was nicknamed ‘Der Kaiser’ for his remarkable skill and he spent much of his career at his boyhood club Bayern Munich. 

In 1966, he was part of the West Germany side that narrowly lost out to England in the World Cup but was selected again in 1974 and this time the Germans beat the Netherlands 2-1.  

"It is with deep sadness that we announce that my husband and our father, Franz Beckenbauer, passed away peacefully in his sleep yesterday, Sunday, surrounded by his family," his family said in a statement. 

"We ask that you be able to grieve in silence and refrain from asking any questions."

A film about his life entitled Der Kaiser was released in 2022.