Inter Milan in particular, which won the European Cup of National Champions in 1964 and 1965, was a dream destination for many players. Franz traveled to Italy several times and had talks with trainer Helenio Herrera, who absolutely wanted to hire him. In 1966, Franz made the decision: “I was fascinated by the atmosphere. Yes, I really wanted to go there. ”

He signed a preliminary contract: After the World Cup in England, he should go to Milan. But that never happened.

The Italian national team had played a disastrous World Cup and was sensationally eliminated against North Korea. The officials blamed, among other things, the many transfers of foreign players, which, in their opinion, prevented the promotion of local talent. After the tournament, the Italian Football Association therefore made a far-reaching decision that also changed Franz Beckenbauer's life: a general ban on transfers of foreign players.

With that, the dream of Italy was shattered and Franz had to remain in the Bundesliga. Looking back, this should prove to be a stroke of luck: The golden years followed in Munich. With FC Bayern, Beckenbauer won four German Championships, four DFB Cups and the European Cup of National Champions three times in a row. Titles that cemented its status as a soccer icon and made the club the top team in Europe.

His trips to Milan had a lasting impact on German soccer. There, Franz gained insights into new tactical approaches, which later became the basis for his legendary role as Libero. Herrera's system was to remove a midfielder from the formation and use him as a cleaner behind the defense, allowing the left-back to attack freely. Franz was impressed by this playing style — and so the idea of a central defender gradually emerged who could act with freedom.

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