Libero (1973)

The film is aimed primarily at Beckenbauer fans and, seemingly by chance, contains numerous advertisements for well-known products. For example, Beckenbauer wears Adidas clothing in his garden at home, and the “Marc O’Polo” logo is clearly visible on his wife’s clothing. He owns a Mercedes-Benz. The focus is on Beckenbauer’s sporting achievements in his heyday as a professional footballer in the 1970s, when he played both as a libero and as captain of FC Bayern Munich. His ball skills and vision quickly earned him the nickname “Kaiser Franz.” The film shows how a defining experience made Beckenbauer reflect on his career. One of his fellow footballers had suffered a serious leg fracture during a match. Since a footballer’s legs are practically his “capital,” this left Beckenbauer himself depressed. His distress even manifested in physical symptoms: during a match, he was plagued by severe nosebleeds. To make matters worse, fanatics set fire to the club flags outside his house and made a nuisance of themselves. This led him to a decision, which he then put into words as follows: “I’m quitting football.” Alongside its portrait of Beckenbauer, the film offers background information and a behind-the-scenes look at football. Even back then, individual players were under intense pressure to meet expectations.