Wow, Franz Beckenbauer’s 90-day suspension was a major shock in the football world, especially given his iconic status as “Der Kaiser.” His suspension by FIFA for lack of cooperation in the investigation into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding processes really underscored how seriously FIFA was treating the controversy around those tournaments.
The fact that Beckenbauer cited language issues—claiming he didn’t fully understand the questions in English—felt like a weak defense to many observers, especially since he was a key member of the executive committee that voted on the Qatar World Cup. His refusal to disclose how he voted also added to the suspicion.
This case was one of many that exposed the murky politics behind FIFA’s World Cup awarding process and eventually led to wider reforms and investigations.
