Legendary Beckenbauer talks FIFA, Bayern, Germany

Franz Beckenbauer now has roles with nearly a dozen organizations, including FIFA, Bayern Munich and Red Bull New York. Stuart Franklin/Bongarts/Getty Images

By Gavin Hamilton, Special to SI.com, World Soccer

Former German national-team hero Franz Beckenbauer is a World Cup winner both as a player (1974) and a coach (1990). During a 19-year professional career, he won nearly every title there is with Bayern Munich, the New York Cosmos and Hamburger SV. Now he has a new role with FIFA. The man known as "The Kaiser" talks to World Soccer's Gavin Hamilton.

World Soccer: You've just been elected been elected to the FIFA executive. Is it logical that you will take over from Sepp Blatter as FIFA president?

Beckenbauer: Not in my mind, no. I have a family, I have two small kids, 6 years and 3 years, who I also have to take care of. It takes a lot of my time, watching my kids growing up. For the next four years, I have been elected from UEFA to serve on the executive committee, so I don't know what to expect. The president has been re-elected because there was no competitor for this position. We should be very happy to have a man like Sepp Blatter in such a leading position. He has done an excellent job and will do so for the next four years.

World Soccer: So it's too early to speak about the presidency?

Beckenbauer: Yes, I am thinking about tomorrow, not what is going on in four years!

World Soccer: Are you happy that Michel Platini is UEFA president?

Beckenbauer: Yes. Lennart Johansson did a wonderful job and UEFA now is in the best condition ever. But Johansson is now nearly 80, so it's natural that a younger man has succeeded him. Platini won the election and now everybody has to work with him. He is a former footballer, a young, very dynamic person. I think he will be a very good successor.

World Soccer: He also has a very different style. Johansson was a ceremonial president. But Platini wants to be the presidential president, living in Switzerland and being in the office every day, like Blatter.

Beckenbauer: It's in his mind to do the same job for UEFA that Blatter is doing at FIFA. They've always been very, very good friends. They've been working closely together for the past decade.

World Soccer: I can't imagine you doing the same as Platini. That's not your way of doing things, living near the office.

Beckenbauer: For me it's impossible.

World Soccer: Is it a good thing that a former player and coach is the most powerful man in UEFA?

Beckenbauer: Platini comes from football, he knows everything about it. Now he is reorganizing UEFA so that power goes back to the executive committee members, like FIFA. There is no reason to change big things, because UEFA is in a very stable position and condition. The same goes for the Champions League. Maybe when the TV and sponsor contracts run out you can have a new system.

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