Manchester United legend Alex Stepney today led the club’s representation at the memorial service of Franz Beckenbauer at the Allianz Arena in Munich.
Before the ceremony, the former United goalkeeper visited Manchesterplatz, the site of the 1958 Munich Air Disaster.
Stepney laid a wreath for his team-mate and friend Sir Bobby Charlton and their on-pitch rival Beckenbauer, who passed away this month at the age of 78. The Bayern Munich legend left us three months after Charlton (86).
He will be remembered for winning the World Cup as both player and manager.
The German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was also in attendance to celebrate ‘Der Kaiser’, as well as Beckenbauer’s wife Heidi and his children.
Beckenbauer joined Bayern Munich as a 14-year-old and went on to make 584 appearances for the German giants, helping them win three European Cups and four Bundesliga titles.
Alex Stepney today led MUFC’s representation at the memorial service of Franz Beckenbauer at the Allianz Arena in Munich today. He also visited Manchesterplatz, site of the 1958 Munich Air Disaster, to lay a wreath for his team-mate and friend Sir Bobby Charlton – and Beckenbauer pic.twitter.com/kZULq8aVPV
— Andy Mitten (@AndyMitten) January 19, 2024
Speaking after the memorial service for Beckenbauer, Stepney said (via ManUtd.com): “It’s a tremendous honour to be here today to represent Manchester United and all of the team-mates I played with who had such admiration for the great Franz Beckenbauer – not least our dear Sir Bobby Charlton.
“I was also humbled to lay a wreath at the crash site to pay tribute to all those who lost their lives on that terrible night in February 1958, and to remember Sir Bobby, who was the last remaining survivor.
“It was especially poignant that, at the moment I laid the wreath, snowflakes started to fall. It was exceptionally moving.”
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