Franz Beckenbauer Trivia
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44 free Franz Beckenbauer trivia questions with answers — sports quiz, new questions added Sep 2026.
This Franz Beckenbauer trivia quiz covers the whole of a life that reshaped football. It starts where any fan would: the nickname, the club, the number of caps, the two Ballons d'Or and the fact that he lifted the World Cup as captain in 1974 and again as manager in 1990. Then it goes deeper into the career: the Under-14 brawl that sent him to Bayern instead of 1860 Munich, the youth-team ban over a pregnant girlfriend, the invention of the attacking sweeper, the sling he wore through the 1970 Game of the Century, and the three straight European Cups that let Bayern keep the trophy. The later chapters are here too. The New York Cosmos years alongside Pelé, the Hamburg title, the two World Cup finals as coach against Argentina, the brief spell at Marseille, the Bayern presidency, Germany's 2006 World Cup bid and the financial investigations that clouded it. There is also room for the lighter side: the two competing stories behind der Kaiser, the Monty Python philosophers' match, the mobile number that turned out to be a mistake, and the address of the Allianz Arena. Every answer was checked against Wikipedia's article on Beckenbauer, and each question links to the page that establishes it. Fifty questions, free, with an explanation after every answer.
30 of 44 questions with answers and explanations. Play the quiz
Q 01What was Franz Beckenbauer's famous nickname?
Der Kaiser
Der Kaiser: accounts of its origin differ, from a photo beside an emperor's bust to him stopping a Schalke star nicknamed the King.
Q 02Beckenbauer is credited with inventing which modern playing role?
The sweeper, or libero
The sweeper, or libero: rather than only mopping up behind the defence, he carried the ball forward and launched attacks from the back.
Q 03Which team handed Beckenbauer's side their only defeat at the 1974 World Cup?
East Germany
East Germany: in the only World Cup meeting of the two German states, the shock loss sparked a frank team meeting, and the hosts went on to win the title.
Q 04Which local club did the young Beckenbauer support and dream of playing for?
TSV 1860 Munich
TSV 1860 Munich: shortly before he was due to join, an 1860 youth player slapped him during a match, so he signed for Bayern instead.
Q 05Why was the teenage Beckenbauer at first barred from West Germany's youth team?
He fathered a child out of wedlock
He fathered a child out of wedlock: youth coach Dettmar Cramer fought the decision and got him into the team.
Q 06Beckenbauer coached West Germany to the 1990 World Cup title in which host country?
Italy
Italy: after the final in Rome, while his players celebrated, he stood apart, alone and lost in thought.
Q 07Which trophy did Bayern win in 1967, Beckenbauer's first continental honour?
Cup Winners' Cup
Cup Winners' Cup: Bayern won it barely two years after climbing out of the second tier into the Bundesliga.
Q 08Which English club did Beckenbauer's Bayern beat in the 1975 European Cup final in Paris?
Leeds United
Leeds United: Peter Lorimer had a goal for Leeds ruled out for offside before Bayern scored twice to win 2-0.
Q 09Why did Beckenbauer lead West Germany from 1984 as 'Teamchef', not coach?
He had no coaching licence
He had no coaching licence: he had never done coaching training, so fully licensed coaches worked beside him as assistants.
Q 10Which American club did Beckenbauer join in 1977?
New York Cosmos
New York Cosmos: he reportedly made the move partly for private reasons, amid a crisis in his marriage.
Q 11With which club did Beckenbauer win his final Bundesliga title as a player, in 1982?
Hamburger SV
Hamburger SV: injuries, including a torn kidney, limited him to ten league games that season.
Q 12Beckenbauer was Germany's first player with what?
100 caps
100 caps: his 1977 move to America ended his West Germany career, leaving him on 103.
Q 13Whose record of 72 caps did Beckenbauer break in 1973?
Uwe Seeler
Uwe Seeler: in the 1970 World Cup quarter-final, his backward header helped West Germany come back from 2-0 down to beat England.
Q 21Beckenbauer was the first captain to lift which trophy, in 1974?
The FIFA World Cup Trophy
The FIFA World Cup Trophy: Brazil had been allowed to keep the old Jules Rimet Trophy for good after winning it a third time in 1970.
Q 22Who beat West Germany on penalties in the 1976 European Championship final?
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia: Antonín Panenka won the shoot-out by gently chipping his penalty, a kick now named after him.
Q 23Besides Beckenbauer, which German defender had won the Ballon d'Or by 2025?
Matthias Sammer
Matthias Sammer: moved back into defence at Borussia Dortmund, he won it in 1996 after starring in Germany's European Championship win.
Q 14Which national coach gave Beckenbauer his West Germany debut in a 1965 World Cup qualifier?
Helmut Schön
Helmut Schön: the 2-1 win in Stockholm that day clinched West Germany's place at the 1966 World Cup.
Q 15In his first World Cup match, in 1966, Beckenbauer scored twice against which team?
Switzerland
Switzerland: West Germany won 5-0 in Sheffield, and Beckenbauer went on to score in the quarter-final and semi-final too.
Q 16Which England player was Beckenbauer told to man-mark in the 1966 World Cup final?
Bobby Charlton
Bobby Charlton: England's manager Alf Ramsey told Charlton to shadow Beckenbauer in turn, so the two cancelled each other out.
Q 17Which award did Beckenbauer share with Geoff Hurst and Ferenc Bene at the 1966 World Cup?
Bronze Boot
Bronze Boot: his four goals made him joint third top scorer even though he played in a defensive role.
Q 18What injury did Beckenbauer play through in the 1970 'Game of the Century' against Italy?
A dislocated shoulder
A dislocated shoulder: West Germany had already used both permitted substitutes, so he played on with his arm strapped in a sling.
Q 19Whom did West Germany beat 3-0 in the final of the 1972 European Championship?
Soviet Union
Soviet Union: Gerd Müller scored twice in the 3-0 in Brussels.
Q 20Whom did West Germany beat 2-1 in the 1974 World Cup final?
Netherlands
Netherlands: Berti Vogts shadowed their star Johan Cruyff, and Gerd Müller scored the winner just before half-time.
Q 24Who partnered Beckenbauer in West Germany's midfield at the 1966 and 1970 World Cups?
Wolfgang Overath
Wolfgang Overath: Günter Netzer starred at Euro 72 while Overath was injured, but Overath won the place back and started every 1974 World Cup game.
Q 25Which Spanish club did Beckenbauer's Bayern beat in the 1974 European Cup final replay?
Atlético Madrid
Atlético Madrid: Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck's long shot in the last minute of extra time forced the replay, which Bayern won 4-0.
Q 26Whom did Beckenbauer replace as West Germany manager in 1984?
Jupp Derwall
Jupp Derwall: after West Germany went out in the first round of Euro 1984, public pressure forced him to resign.
Q 27Which team beat Beckenbauer's West Germany in the 1986 World Cup final?
Argentina
Argentina: four years later Beckenbauer's side beat the same opponents in the 1990 final.
Q 28Who scored the late penalty that won the 1990 World Cup final for Beckenbauer's West Germany?
Andreas Brehme
Andreas Brehme: Rudi Völler had been brought down in the area six minutes from time, and Brehme's spot kick was the only goal.
Q 29Along with Beckenbauer, which two men have won the World Cup as both player and manager?
Mário Zagallo and Didier Deschamps
Mário Zagallo and Didier Deschamps: Zagallo took over Brazil only months before the 1970 finals, replacing the coach who had led them through qualifying.
Q 30Which French club did Beckenbauer briefly manage from 1990?
Marseille
Marseille: within months he moved upstairs as sporting director, and his successor Raymond Goethals took the team to the European Cup final.