Germany and Bayern Munich legend Franz Beckenbauer has been named the winner of the 2022 Award of Honour.
German Football Ambassador e.V., who GOAL supports as a media partner, will officially present Beckenbauer with the award on May 19 at the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin as they celebrate their 10th anniversary.
The 76-year-old has been acknowledged for the work of his charity, the Franz Beckenbauer Foundation, which has been seen to make a significant contribution to the positive image of Germany.
What has Beckenbauer said about the award?
"I would like to thank you all very much for this award," Beckenbauer said after the announcement. "It is a great honour for me."
e.V. president Roland Bischof has added: "All those who were able to get to know him privately also see a person full of kindness, a down-to-earth attitude and generous charity.
"Or in this case: an absolutely worthy winner of the 2022 Honorary Award for his lifetime achievements!"
Beckenbauer's legacy continues to grow
The German Football Ambassador Award was given to a club for the first time last year as Bayern Munich received the prize, while a star-studded list of previous winners includes Dettmar Cramer, Thomas Hitzlsperger, Miroslav Klose and Otto Pfister.
Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka were joint winners in 2020 for their efforts for the #WeKickCorona campaign, and Beckenbauer has now added to his legacy by following in their footsteps.
The former defender made over 100 appearances for Germany as a player, winning World Cup and European Championship honours, and also lifted three European Cups and four Bundesliga titles while on the books of Bayern at club level.