The nickname “Der Kaiser” or “the Emperor” speaks to the social significance Beckenbauer held in a divided post-war Germany. Beckenbauer played in three consecutive World Cup Final tournaments for West Germany beginning in 1966, captaining the side to its 1974 triumph on home soil. He then served as manager/head coach for the 1986 tournament in Mexico and became the first to win the World Cup as a player and manager when West Germany won the 1990 tournament in Italy.