Beckenbauer’s grandson quits Bayern academy

Berlin: Luca Beckenbauer, the teenage grandson of Germany legend Franz Beckenbauer, is leaving Bayern Munich’s youth academy for Schalke after the tragic death of his father.

The 15-year-old defender will play for Schalke’s Under-17 team next season, leaving Bayern, where his grandfather won three European Cup titles and played more than 400 Bundesliga games.

Stephan Beckenbauer, son of the 70-year-old legendary defender and Luca’s father, died of a brain tumour in July 2015, aged just 46, having worked as a coach in Bayern’s academy. “Luca has been toying with the idea for some time,” Franz Beckenbauer told German daily Bild on Saturday.