A street near Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena will be renamed in honour of German football legend Franz Beckenbauer, who died in January, the Munich City Council announced on Thursday.
The section of Werner Heisenberg Allee, which runs alongside the stadium in the northern part of the city, will be renamed Franz Beckenbauer Platz.
The change means that the stadium, set to host the Champions League final in May 2025, will officially be located at Franz Beckenbauer Platz 5—a tribute to the football icon’s famous shirt number.
Beckenbauer, affectionately known as ‘Der Kaiser’ for his commanding presence on the pitch, was regarded as one of the greatest footballers. He died in January 2024 at the age of 78, and the city council revealed that the renaming would take effect on the first anniversary of his death, January 7, 2025.”Renaming a street is the highest honour Munich can give posthumously, symbolising the deep respect and admiration we have for Franz Beckenbauer,” said Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter.
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Beckenbauer’s illustrious career included World Cup victories as both a player and coach, as well as winning the European Championship and two Ballon d’Or titles. During his 13-year tenure with Bayern Munich, the Munich-born midfielder won three European Cups and four Bundesliga titles, adding another league title with Hamburg in 1981-82.
Reiter praised Beckenbauer as “one of the greatest athletes our city has ever produced,” noting how his contributions to football left an enduring impact on Germany’s sports culture. “His calm, humorous manner and unique way of expressing himself will forever remain part of Munich’s spirit,” the mayor added.
In addition to the street renaming, Beckenbauer will be immortalised with a statue outside the Allianz Arena, alongside a tribute to his former Bayern and Germany teammate, Gerd Müller.
