Franz Beckenbauer Player Quotations

The trouble for today's footballers is they have too many distractions. We used to get our old players coming to watch training with football magazines in their hands. Now, more often than not, they are checking the share prices.

I was told to mark what was then the best player - Bobby Charlton. Bobby told me later that (England manager) Alf Ramsey had told him to keep an eye on this young, good-looking German guy.

Unquestionably, it was also thanks to the World Cup win in 1974 that I was lucky enough to spend four years as a player in New York from 1977.

We should not compare humans to God, but Messi is a godly player.

Messi is a genius. He has everything. When I watch him, I see a player who is very, very, skilful, very clever and his left foot is like Diego Maradona's.

He has been named as the heir apparent of the great Argentine hero, Diego Maradona, by journalists, players, and Maradona himself, alike. I'd personally put him in a drawer of my bedside table.

George Best was one of the most talented players of all time and probably the best footballer who never made it to a major world final.

The one who’s really, really impressed me is Benedikt Höwedes because he’s playing out of position. He’s never played at left back before in his life but he’s having a first-rate World Cup. So, the most astonishing player for me is Höwedes.

Real Madrid is a legendary team that stands above all others and is the target of all players.