Private broadcasters also increasingly invested in soccer and accordingly secured the broadcasting rights for national and international games. Franz understood early on the potential of this development and explained: “My future lies in television.”

He was already one of the most famous people in the country, but his permanent presence on television made him virtually unmistakable from the 1990s on. Charming, quick-witted and with an ease that set him apart from classic experts.

As a commentator and analyst at major tournaments, he brought the game closer to millions of TV viewers. Unlike many tactical foxes, he relied less on dry specialist analyses, but on intuition, humor and the ability to make complicated things sound simple. When Franz spoke, people listened: not only because of his expertise, but because he was a kind of “trusted person” in soccer. His assessments carried weight, his sentences were quoted.

He first commented on the pay-TV channel Premiere, later also on RTL. In 1994, he commented on the World Cup with his program “Schau'n mer mal”. Combined with the commercials in which he was permanently seen, he soon appeared omnipresent on all broadcasters.

After the end of Premiere, Franz also worked for Sky, Sat. 1 and ZDF. His co-commentators included Günther Jauch, Marcel Reif, Johannes B. Kerner and Oliver Welke.

In doing so, he cultivated an image that was perfect for the 90s: Franz as a light-footed emperor who sat in the studio wearing sunglasses, looked at the camera with a wink and always had a relaxed saying ready. His TV presence reinforced the Beckenbauer myth. He was not only an athlete and trainer, but also an entertainer. At a time when soccer was becoming a mass phenomenon on television, Franz was one of the defining faces. He brought his “Get out and play soccer” attitude into every German living room.

‍