BAYERN LIFE February 2025
A distinguished visitor while in the bathtub : The Cosmos captain Werner Roth ( right ) and Beckenbauer meet Henry Kissinger .
New York Cosmos . So far he hasn ‘ t found a buyer (“ it ‘ s hard to sell anything in Hollywood “), but he does of course have enough material for a good story spanning several episodes . For example , he remembers exactly how Pelé called his teammates to come to his hotel room one evening before a game in Seattle and lured them into the bathroom , telling them he had a problem – there was a shark in his bath . They were in for a big surprise , because there actually was a small shark in there snapping at them . The hotel was located on a cliff and the Brazilian legend had taken the opportunity to do some fishing from the balcony . Big fish , small fish – there was a goldrush atmosphere in the USA in general and even in soccer for the first time back then . It all started with Pelé , who was the biggest catch right at the start . In 1966 , the World Cup in England had awakened Americans ’ interest in football for the first time , and viewing figures were high , although a half-hearted attempt to establish a league failed spectacularly . But when Pelé ended his playing career with Santos FC in 1974 , New York sensed a coup that would ultimately pay off . Previously , attempts to bring in George Best had fallen through at the last minute , and
Servus , Pelé :
Beckenbauer and Edison Arantes do Nascimento at Pelé ‘ s farewell match in 1977 .
now the powers that be in Brazil , who never wanted to see the national hero in any other jersey than that of Santos , had to be persuaded by any means necessary . It was only when the then US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger convinced the Brazilian head of state that Pelé would be a perfect ambassador for his country in the USA that the government authorised the move to New York . Two years later , Franz Beckenbauer also joined the illustrious club – and Werner Roth ‘ s script grew highlight by highlight , chapter by chapter over the following years .
Games on the prison island
Roth still remembers just how excited he was when he picked up the Munich native at JFK . After Beckenbauer had first came to his attention at the 1966 World Cup , he ’ d studied him in newspapers and on rare TV clips . “ We both played the same position – but before I saw Franz play , I would never have thought that a libero could even be allowed to cross the halfway line ,“ he says . “ He helped me learn the game all over again .” He himself had joined the Cosmos in 1972 , and the first few years were no different to the “ German-Hungarian SC “: previously he ’ d earned 50 dollars per game , no more than a nice allowance while studying architecture , now he was paid 75 dollars . That wasn ‘ t very much back then either . As a USA international he even came to realise that the Haiti national team were better
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