“He is one of the greatest legends of world football,” greets Bixente Lizarazu

“He had crazy elegance,” said Bixente Lizarazu of the German player and coach who died on Sunday at the age of 78.

“He is one of the greatest legends of world football and for me he is the greatest legend of German football”, greeted Monday January 8 on franceinfo Bixente Lizarazu, 1998 world champion. The franceinfo football consultant reacted to the death of Franz Beckenbauer announced on Monday. Twice Ballon d’Or in 1972 and 1976, world champion with the FRG in 1974 as a player then in 1990 as a coach, Franz Beckenbauer died on Sunday January 7 at the age of 78.

“He is someone I had the pleasure and honor of working with, who contributed enormously to my arrival at Bayern Munich”said Bixente Lizarazu, who played 273 games with the Bavarians in eight seasons. “He was the Bayern coach when we lost the 1996 UEFA Cup final with the Girondins de Bordeaux against Bayern Munich [5-1] and he noticed the little left back who wasn’t so bad”remembered the former full-back of the France team (97 caps).

“Thanks to him, I arrived at Bayern for the happiness that followed, he is someone very important to me, who allowed me to experience an extraordinary adventure with Bayern”rewound Bixente Lizarazu, who notably won the German championship six times, and the Champions League once with the Bavarian team.

“A model in every way”

The former full-back of the French football team remembered someone “incredibly classy, ​​extremely friendly”with “always a kind word for me, very approachable, smiling, quite impressive because he had crazy charisma: when he was with us on the bus, he had an assurance, a serenity, which he transmitted to us in the greatest Champions League matches”.
Bixente Lizarazu believes that Franz Beckenbauer is “the most charismatic, classiest football player”whom he was able to meet with a “crazy elegance”.

“He was very cool, so contact was very easy, it was always a pleasure to be able to chat with him.”

Bixente Lizarazu, franceinfo football consultant

on franceinfo

For Bixente Lizarazu, this legend of German football was “a model, a huge player”who has “successful career as a coach and consultant”. He recalled that Franz Beckenbauer was “one of the first to know how to manage his image well.” “For me, he is a model in every way, he leaves us far too soon”confided with emotion Bixente Lizarazu.