At the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, Franz Beckenbauer led Germany as team boss to the final, where his team only had to admit defeat in a duel with Diego Maradona's Argentina.
Even at the start of the World Cup, one media scandal followed another, as around 50 journalists lived in the same quarters as the German team and made a big story out of every little thing. Franz later told Der Spiegel: “It was the biggest mistake of my life to let the press into our hotel. The players were constantly being watched, and the slightest detail resulted in a spiced up story. ”
The start in Mexico was bumpy. A 1-1 against Uruguay, an arduous victory against Scotland and a loss against Denmark dampened the mood. Yet Franz managed to keep morale high within the team. There was also an advantage: The German team was in top shape and coped better with the heat in Mexico than many other teams. The game was often played at 12 noon so that broadcasts in Europe were running at the best time.
The quarter-final against hosts Mexico turned out to be a nerve game. The German team fought passionately, but did not get past 0-0. In the penalty shoot-out, the players kept their nerve and won 4-1. This was where Beckenbauer's greatest strength was evident: He gave his players peace and self-confidence for the decisive moment.
In the semi-finals, Germany faced European Champion France. Andreas Brehme gave the DFB team an early lead, Rudi Völler took the 2:0. A huge success for the team, which made it clear that even though the team was often outnumbered technically, they were able to pass big games... like a beast that gives everything until the last minute and only admits defeat when the final whistle blows.
On June 29, 1986, the final was played at the Aztec Stadium in Mexico City: Germany versus Argentina with their exceptional player Diego Maradona. After a 0-2 gap, the German team fought their way back to 2:2 and showed impressive will. The victory suddenly seemed possible, but in the 84th minute Jorge Burruchaga set the decisive goal for 3:2 after a pass from Maradona.
Germany was runner-up world champion — a defeat that still looked like a small victory. The previously critically viewed team showed that they had once again reached world-class level under Franz Beckenbauer's leadership. Franz knew how to cushion criticism from outside, to keep calm and to keep the team together in the most difficult moments.
