Kolkata: If things go according to the plans, soccer crazy city of Kolkata will witness German football legend Franz Beckenbauer for the final of the FIFA U17 World Cup final on October 28. The former World Cup winning captain Beckenbauer will arrive in Kolkata on October 25 and will be in the city for the final of the U17 World Cup the next day.
The German legend is the only man to have won the World Cup both as a player and as a manager. His roll of honour is unique. Captain of West Germany when they won the World Cup and the European Championship, he also led his club, Bayern Munich, to three successive European Cups and also to the European Cup Winners’ Cup.
Beckenbauer, popularly known as ‘The Kaiser’ will add to long list of football legends that has graced the City of Joy. Among the former legends to have visited the city are Pele, Maradona, Dunga, Bebeto, Higueta,Romario, Valderama, Gerd Muller and many more. Beckenbauer will be the third German legend to visit the city after Oliver Kahn and Gerd Muller.
Already FIFA legends like Carlos Puyol, Nwanko Kanu, Esteban Kambiasso, Rabiu Afolabi, Michel Salgado and Emanuel Amunike visited India over the past few months for the FIFA U17 World Cup. Renowned FIFA referee Pierluigi Collina was also in the city to attend as referees instructor for the tournament.
According to sources, Beckenbauer will also attend the FIFA Council meeting ahead of the summit clash of the Under-17 World Cup on October 28. The meeting of the FIFA Council, the main decision-making body of the world football governing body apart from the Congress, will be held from October 26-28. The Council consists of 37 members: the president, eight vice-presidents and 28 other members.