Franz Beckenbauer (Munich, 11 September 1945) is a German footballer who won the Ballon d'Or twice, in 1972 and 1976. Nicknamed Kaiser, he is considered one of the greatest players in the history of football as well as by some as the best defender of all time. He tied most of his career to Bayern Munich (from 1964 to 1977), winning four German Cups, four championships, a Cup Winners' Cup, three European Cups and an Intercontinental Cup. In 1977 he moved to the NY Cosmos, with whom he won three North American championships in four seasons. From 1980 to 1982 he played for Hamburg, where he won another championship before ending his career again with the NY Cosmos. With West Germany he participated in three world championships (1966, 1970, 1974) and two European championships (1972, 1976), winning the 1972 European championship and the 1974 world championship as a protagonist. In December 2020 he was included in the Dream Ballon d'Or team as the best central defender of all time.