A golden era ended in 1977: After more than a decade full of titles, Franz Beckenbauer said goodbye to FC Bayern. He played his last game at the Olympic Stadium in front of 80,000 fans before moving to Cosmos New York to write soccer history alongside Pelé and make the sport popular in the USA.
Together with Gerd Müller and Sepp Maier, he formed the backbone of a team that became the best club team in the world in the 1970s. But after these unprecedented successes, the “Kaiser” moved on.
In spring 1977, Franz announced that he would join Cosmos New York in the North American NASL. The move was exceptional both sportively and socially. The American league attracted visitors with glamor, big names and a completely new market. But above all, Pelé, who has played for Cosmos since 1975, intensively promoted the German Libero. Franz himself explained later: “I really wanted to be on a team with Pelé. ”
His departure from FC Bayern was correspondingly emotional. On May 21, 1977, Franz played his last Bundesliga game for the Munich team: a 2-2 against Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Olympic Stadium. 80,000 spectators said their goodbyes to him with a standing ovation, many holding up signs with the words “Thank you, Franz.” The emperor had become the club's symbol, and his departure marked the end of a golden era.
The move to the USA was also a statement. While soccer was traditionally and seriously lived in Europe, it met with show, entertainment and lifestyle in New York. But before he plunged into the Manhattan limelight, he took time to say a dignified farewell in Munich: “I will always remain connected to Bavaria. ”
This step was by no means a break, but an extension of his career. In New York, he played side by side with Pelé and helped make soccer popular in the USA. For FC Bayern, however, his departure was a deep cut. Without their captain and strategist, the club entered a period of transition, while the emperor began the next major phase of his extraordinary life on the other side of the Atlantic.
