Former Ireland and Leeds player John Giles has shared a story about a confrontation with the late Franz Beckenbauer over a referee decision during their playing days. This week, it was reported that the German legend Beckenbauer, widely regarded as one of football's greatest players, passed away at the age of 78.
Nicknamed 'Der Kaiser,' Beckenbauer won the World Cup as captain of West Germany in 1974 and lifted the trophy again as a manager in 1990. Tributes have poured in from the football community for the iconic player and manager.
Giles, a former Leeds player, spoke about his memories of Beckenbauer, recalling an incident during the 1975 European Cup final between Bayern Munich and Leeds United. Although Bayern Munich won 2-0, Giles claimed that Beckenbauer committed a foul that should have resulted in a penalty for Leeds. The penalty was not given, leading to a verbal altercation between Giles and Beckenbauer.
Giles explained the situation on the Irish radio show Off the Ball, saying, "As I was walking over, I thought, "Okay, if he's going to say something, I'll go with it. If not, I won't bring it up." I was still upset, like many Leeds players, as we felt we were robbed in that match."
"In the first half, the ball got behind Beckenbauer, and Alan Clark was on it. He took Alan Clark down, and in my opinion, it was a clear penalty. The referee didn't give it. But that night, he wasn't being friendly; he was aggressive towards me. He mentioned the tackle by Terry Yorath, calling it a "terrible tackle."
Despite their heated exchange on the pitch, Giles and Beckenbauer met again later, when Giles was working as a pundit for RTE. Beckenbauer brought up the 1975 final once more, mentioning Yorath's tackle. Giles responded by highlighting Beckenbauer's tackle on Alan Clark, insisting it was a penalty, and criticising the referee's bias.
Giles admitted they didn't part on good terms but emphasised his immense respect for Beckenbauer as one of the best players in the game. He said, "We didn't part on very good terms, I can tell you, but that's that. I met him off the field, and I wasn't very pleased about it, but on the field, one of the best, one of the best ever."
The full clip of Giles discussing the incident can be seen here.
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