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His success seems unrepeatable: German Champion and European Champion as a player, UEFA-Cup and World Cup Champion as a player and as team manager. Everything he touches seemingly turns into gold, be it as president of the FC Bayern München or as chairman of the organizational committee for the World Cup in 2006. When he started playing in 1964, soccer was still a leisure time occupation smelling of work and sauerkraut. His nickname, "Kaiser", says everything about his significance, but also about his self-esteem. The street-soccer player in Munich’s working-class neighborhood Giesing, where he was born the son of a mail clerk in 1945, turns into an esthete, already enchanting experts at age 18: where others are sweating, he effortlessly zigzags, and plays elegant passes. His part in the World Cup semifinal is legendary, since he finished the game despite his broken shoulder. But the perfectionist is not able to fascinate the public: "I was never the one they screamed for. They always considered me arrogant." Together with his manager Robert Schwan, he is the first to discover how much money there is to be earned in soccer. Shortly before the final in 1974, he threatens the DFB that he would organize a strike, if the bonus money offered would not be significantly increased. Success on the field stays with him: German Champion, European Champion, and World Champion. In the 1970s, soccer is no longer enough for him. He takes the leading part in the movie "Libero", depicting the emotional crisis of a soccer player. But devastating criticism quickly puts an end to his second career. In 1977, his life is shaken thoroughly by the death of his father and the breaking of his marriage. When he signs a contract with the New York Cosmos team in 1977, a new period of his life begins, finally without being constantly watched, and with someone he himself can look up to: Pélé. In 1982, he returns, becomes champion with the HSV, and manager of the DFB team in 1984 – the first person to do so without a trainer’s license. He turns a team of talents into champions. In 1990, he leads the German team to the World Championship.