IMMEMORIAL
Beckenbauer to have street named after him near Munich’s Allianz Arena
The legendary German footballer, regarded as one of the greatest players in the world, who passed away earlier this year, will be remembered forever with the honour of having his name given to one of the streets next to the Bayern Munich stadium where the midfielder spent 13 years of his career.
The street is currently called Werner-Heisenberg-Allee and is located next to the Bayern Munich stadium. The change, which is expected to become official at the beginning of the year, means that the stadium – which will host the Champions League final in May 2025 – will officially be located at Franz Beckenbauer Platz 5, the midfielder’s shirt number.
The news was announced by Munich City Council last Thursday and the process of implementing the change is already underway. The aim is to complete the process by 7 January. This will coincide with the anniversary of the unforgettable footballer’s death at the age of 78.
“The naming of a street is the highest honour the city of Munich can bestow posthumously, and it is a sign of the deep respect and esteem we have for Franz Beckenbauer,” said Mayor Dieter Reiter in a statement.
“He left a lasting mark on Germany’s sporting landscape with his sporting successes and his commitment to football. His calm, humorous character and his way of expressing himself will always be part of Munich’s way of life,” Reiter added.
Beckenbauer was nicknamed ‘The Emperor’ for his dominant style on the pitch. He became one of the most important footballers of his time with his effortless, skilful play, excellent ball control and remarkable technical ability.
He was a leader on the pitch as well as in the dressing room, serving as captain of both Bayern Munich and the German national team.
Beckenbauer won it all. He achieved everything in the world of football and his personality earned him the respect of everyone in the game. He is one of the few players to have won the World Cup as both a player and a manager. He has also won the European Championship and the Ballon d’Or, arguably the highest accolade a footballer can achieve.
At the 1974 World Cup, which he won as a player, he was at the helm of one of the best German teams ever to play effective football. Because of its superiority and strict discipline, the German national team was from then on nicknamed “The Steamroller”.
Meanwhile, the World Cup he won as coach in 1990 will always be remembered forthe final in which Germany defeated Maradona’s Argentina in Italy. The Argentine legend, who was an idol of the team, was reduced to tears as the Germans lifted the trophy.
During his 13 years with Bayern, the Munich-born midfielder won three European Cups and four Bundesliga titles. He later added another league title with Hamburg, his other German club, in 1981-82, but his heart always belonged to Bayern. He finished his career with the New York Cosmos in the United States.
Beckenbauer will also be honoured with a statue outside the stadium. He will sit alongside his Bayern and Germany team-mate Gerd Müller, two legends of German and world football.
By Kunle Solaja.
Sixty-eight years on, football, this Friday, paused again to remember the Munich Air Disaster, the catastrophe that ripped through Manchester United and stunned the sporting world on February 6, 1958.
The tragedy claimed 23 lives when Manchester United’s aircraft crashed on take-off at Munich-Riem Airport following a refuelling stop on the journey home from a European Cup tie against Red Star Belgrade.
Manchester United squad before the 1958 crash.
Among the dead were eight players from United’s celebrated Busby Babes side, alongside club officials, journalists and members of the flight crew.
Those killed included club captain Roger Byrne and the immensely gifted Duncan Edwards, widely tipped to become one of both United’s and England’s greatest-ever players. Also lost were Mark Jones, Tommy Taylor, Eddie Colman, Liam Whelan, David Pegg and Geoff Bent.
In all, the disaster took the lives of 11 members of the United travelling party, eight journalists, the co-pilot and several others connected to the flight.
Yet from the wreckage also emerged stories of survival and resilience. Manager Matt Busby, badly injured in the crash, would go on to rebuild United into European champions a decade later.
Bobby Charlton, who survived with relatively minor injuries, became the club’s record scorer for many years and a World Cup winner with England. Bill Foulkes, Harry Gregg, Albert Scanlon and Dennis Viollet also resumed distinguished careers.
For two survivors, however, the crash marked the end of their playing days.
Jackie Blanchflower was just 25 when the plane crashed on the snow-covered runway. The Northern Ireland international, younger brother of Tottenham Hotspur great Danny Blanchflower, had already won two league titles with United and made 117 appearances for the club. Renowned for his versatility, he had played in defence, midfield and even in goal during his career.
Despite early hope that he might recover, Blanchflower’s injuries — including a fractured pelvis, multiple broken limbs and severe internal damage — proved career-ending. He was forced into early retirement and later rebuilt his life away from football, eventually finding success as a businessman and popular after-dinner speaker. He died of cancer in 1998.
Johnny Berry, United’s flying right winger and the club’s original wearer of the famous number seven shirt, also survived the crash but never played again. Signed from Birmingham City in 1951, Berry made 276 appearances and scored 45 goals, helping United to the league title in his first season.
Severe head injuries sustained in Munich ended his career at the age of 31. Berry later returned to his hometown of Aldershot to run a sportswear business and became the first surviving United player from the crash to pass away, dying in 1994 at the age of 68.
Those lost and those who lived on
The victims of the crash included United secretary Walter Crickmer and coaches Bert Whalley and Tom Curry, as well as eight journalists covering the team’s European adventure. The co-pilot Kenneth Rayment, a steward, a supporter and a travel agent were also among the dead.
Of the nine United players who survived, Bobby Charlton lived the longest, passing away in October 2023 at the age of 86. Goalkeeper Harry Gregg, whose heroics in rescuing survivors earned lasting admiration, died in 2022 aged 87.
Each year, the anniversary of Munich remains deeply embedded in the identity of Manchester United, serving as a reminder not only of loss but of the resilience that shaped the club’s history. Sixty-eight years on, the names of those who died — and those whose careers and lives were forever changed — continue to be remembered as an inseparable part of football’s collective memory.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Manchester United will this Friday, February 6, 2026, mark the 68th anniversary of the Munich Air Disaster this Friday, February 6, 2026. The darkest day in the club’s history, which claimed 23 lives, including eight players and three officials.
The tragedy occurred in 1958 as United were returning from a European Cup match against Red Star Belgrade. After stopping to refuel in Munich, the aircraft crashed shortly after take-off, devastating the club and the wider football community.
Each year, the disaster remains central to United’s identity and heritage, with thousands of supporters gathering at memorial services in Manchester and Munich to honour those who lost their lives and those who were injured.
Old Trafford and Munich services
United will host a remembrance service at Old Trafford from 14:45 to 15:15 GMT, with supporters invited to gather under the Munich Clock in the East Stand. The service will be led by Reverend John Boyers and will include a roll of honour, poems and readings delivered by journalist and supporter Andy Mitten, representatives of the Manchester United Foundation, Under-13 Academy teams, and club legend Sammy McIlroy. Senior club officials will lay wreaths in tribute.
Following the ceremony, supporters will be welcomed into the International Suite at the Stretford End to view memorabilia from 1958 and the Busby Babes, courtesy of the Manchester United Museum, and to share memories over refreshments.
At the same time, representatives of the Manchester Munich Memorial Foundation will lead a parallel service at the Manchesterplatz Memorial in Munich. United’s director of fan engagement, Rick McGagh and former goalkeeper Alex Stepney will attend alongside travelling supporters, residents and fan groups. Wreaths will be laid at the crash site, followed by a two-minute silence. The Munich service will be streamed live and free on MUTV.
Matchday tributes
Tributes will continue at United’s Premier League home fixture against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, February 7. Supporters are invited to a 30-minute memorial service under the Munich Clock at 10:30 GMT, featuring a minute’s silence, roll of honour and readings involving Academy teams and Foundation representatives.
Flags will fly at half-mast, the team will lay a wreath and families of the Busby Babes will attend the match. Fans have been asked to be in their seats 15 minutes before kick-off for the playing of The Flowers of Manchester. Supporter group The Red Army will also unfurl the “We’ll Never Die” banner across the Lower Stretford End.
United Women will also pay tribute at their home match against Liverpool on February 1, the closest fixture to the anniversary. Players will wear black armbands, a wreath will be laid, and Munich flags will be displayed in the North Stand.
Carrick: Players must understand the history
United manager Michael Carrick said his players must understand the significance of the Munich Air Disaster as the club marked the anniversary.
“As soon as you come to this club, you’re made aware. You can’t help but know and understand the history,” Carrick said at Thursday’s press conference. “It’s a responsibility when you work here that you understand what’s come before us. Munich is probably the biggest part of the history of this club — how the team and the football club bounced back and went on to success.”
The match against Spurs was moved forward a day to avoid clashing with Friday’s memorial service. Carrick, enjoying a strong run of results, said United were continuing to grow despite a lighter fixture list this season.
On Tottenham, he added, “They have really good attackers who stretch the backline and attack the box a lot. It’s a slightly different game to what we’ve played in recent weeks.”
Patrick Dorgu remains sidelined with a hamstring injury, while Matthijs de Ligt and Mason Mount are close to returning.
Tottenham manager Thomas Frank confirmed that outspoken social media comments by captain Cristian Romero regarding the club’s transfer policy had been “dealt with internally”.
“Cuti is very passionate and ambitious. Sometimes there can be an outburst, which happened this time. It’s something we’ve dealt with,” Frank said.
United head into the weekend fourth in the Premier League, while Tottenham sit 14th. With Arsenal and Manchester City leading the table, the battle for Champions League qualification is tightening, with just seven points separating third place from sixth.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
The global football community on Monday marked the third anniversary of the passing of Brazilian football icon Pelé, widely regarded as the greatest player the game has ever known.
Pelé, born Edson Arantes do Nascimento, died on 29 December 2022 at the age of 82 after a prolonged battle with illness, drawing an outpouring of grief and tributes that spanned continents, cultures and generations.
Three years on, his legacy remains undimmed. The only footballer to win the FIFA World Cup three times (1958, 1962 and 1970), Pelé redefined excellence on the pitch, combining athleticism, skill, creativity and an instinctive understanding of the game that set new standards for greatness.
From his formative years at Santos, where he became a teenage sensation, to his role in popularising football in the United States with the New York Cosmos, Pelé transcended club and country. He scored more than 1,000 career goals in official and unofficial matches, a milestone that became synonymous with his name and myth.
Beyond statistics, Pelé was football’s first true global superstar. He turned matches into spectacles, inspired millions of young players, and helped project football as a universal language capable of bridging race, politics and geography. His influence extended into diplomacy and humanitarian work, where he served as a global ambassador for sport, peace and social causes.
On this third anniversary, clubs, federations, former players and fans across the world have once again paid tribute, sharing memories, archival footage and messages celebrating a life that shaped the modern game. Stadiums, museums and public spaces in Brazil and beyond continue to honour him as O Rei — The King.
Though Pelé is no longer physically present, his spirit endures every time a child dreams with a ball at their feet, every time a goal is celebrated with joy and imagination, and every time football reminds the world of its power to inspire.
Three years after his passing, Pelé remains eternal — not just in memory, but in the very soul of the beautiful game.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
- WAFCON4 days ago
BREAKING: CAF Postpones WAFCON 2026
- World Cup15 hours ago
Iraq coach calls for delay to World Cup playoff amid travel shutdown
- DIPLOMACY16 hours ago
Morocco Backs Gulf Security, Condemns Iranian Attacks Against Brotherly Arab States
- OBITUARY5 days ago
Nigerian Sports Journalism Mourns Oyeniyi Oyeleke and Tonex Chukwu
- MLS1 week ago
Trump to Host Lionel Messi and Inter Miami at the White House
- World Cup6 days ago
‘I really don’t care’ if Iran plays in World Cup, Trump tells Politico
- World Cup5 days ago
Iraq’s World Cup Playoff in Doubt as War Disrupts Travel and Visa Processing
- FA Cup2 days ago
Eze thunderbolt guides Arsenal past Mansfield into FA Cup quarter-finals