After the FIFA Committee decided to award the 2006 World Cup to Germany, Franz, who was largely responsible for the successful bid, was appointed President of the Organizing Committee.
He traveled with his delegation to 31 countries that had qualified for the World Cup. Franz officially became the “Foreign Minister of Football.” But his influence was not limited to sport: The emperor also achieved one or the other political masterpiece on his trip around the world. It is said that, in consultation with the German embassy in Ivory Coast, he brought two rival tribes back together — using only the power of soccer and the charm of the emperor. He once asked the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia with a wink how to get along with four women at the same time. His answer: “Oh, forget that.”
Traveling also had its price, of course: the emperor was rarely at home. “I've lost all sense of space and time,” he once said.
And it was worth it. The 2006 World Cup was a summer fairy tale: perfect organization, brilliant “imperial weather” and an incomparable soccer atmosphere. The tournament was a huge success for Germany and for Franz Beckenbauer.
