Franz Beckenbauer's 75th birthday is approaching. And the football emperor does everything to ensure that there are as many special days as possible.
European champion, world champion (both as a player and as a coach), plus the coronation as the German emperor of football: If you had to summarize Franz Beckenbauer (74, "My opponents. My friends. Stations of a career") in just one sentence, then probably with " We Call Him A Shining Light ". But in the past few years it has become quiet about the football legend, who turns 75 on September 11th.
He fought as best he could for his health apart from the public: Beckenbauer had to undergo a heart operation, had an artificial hip inserted, and last year suffered an eye attack that made him almost blind in one eye. In short, "my body has really started to strike," said Beckenbauer in an interview with the "Bild" newspaper.
Lots of thoughts and little excitement
It could have been better with health, thinks Beckenbauer, but he doesn't want to quarrel with fate. "I had such a beautiful life that I will be forever grateful." Now it's just not as "exciting and hectic as it used to be." He finds more time to reflect in his new, leisurely everyday life – and at times also deals with his own finitude: "75 is an age when you can guess the end. I hope that God will give me many years to come. But you don't know. "
But he is not afraid of death: "Why should I get upset about something that I can't change anyway? I know it will happen," is his pragmatic attitude. Of course, the emperor does what he can to ensure that he can stay on earth as long as possible. He has not drunk any alcohol since the heart operation, a small exception immediately caused "fibrillation". To do this, he moves a lot without putting too much strain on himself. Now and then he "even plays a little golf again. Sometimes I also hit the ball."