In Der Kaiser's death, 'Indian Beckenbauer' Sarkar sees 'inexplicable connection'

Kolkata: In sheer coincidence, Gautam Sarkar, nicknamed the 'Indian Beckenbauer', saw an "inexplicable connection" after he received news of Der Kaiser's (The Emperor) death while "celebrating" his 74th birthday.

One of the only three men to win the World Cup as player and coach, German football legend Franz Beckenbauer, 78, died in his sleep on Monday.

Former India international Sarkar, who was compared with one of the world's greatest footballers for their "similar" style of play, by an "eminent" scribe, said he felt "surreal" after learning of Beckenbauer's death.

"It's a surreal and poignant moment for me. Beckenbauer, the legend himself, left us on the day I celebrated my 74th birthday. It's an inexplicable connection," an emotional Sarkar told PTI on Tuesday.

For a football-crazy city that has been graced by the sport's luminaries from Pele, Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi to Oliver Kahn, Lothar Matthaus in the past, Beckenbauer narrowly missed a date with Kolkata in 1977.

He was a member of the New York Cosmos side that was to tour Kolkata for an exhibition match against Mohun Bagan on September 24, 1977.

But as fate would have it, Beckenbauer opted out of the tour to "take a break" following a gruelling season.

It was during the build-up of that exhibition match that a journalist drew a parallel between Sarkar's style of play and that of the German maestro, leaving the Indian honoured and humbled.

"I recall an eminent journalist once comparing my style of play with his, which is both flattering and embarrassing. Being likened to such a celestial figure is a humbling experience," Sarkar recollected.

"Beckenbauer was a celestial personality, with a proportionate body that one can hardly imagine.

"What set Beckenbauer apart were his fighting mentality, never-say-die attitude, and a strong mindset to achieve greatness." Back home, Sarkar also stood out for his feisty and ferocious style of play and even denied Pele a goal in the match against New York Cosmos, which ended in a 2-2 draw following a controversial penalty by the visitors.

Then Mohun Bagan coach PK Banerjee had asked Sarkar to man-mark Pele, something he did with plenty of success and was even acknowledged by the Brazilian great during a felicitation ceremony.

"These qualities were my own strengths on the field. I, too, played all over the ground, taking on roles as a libero, midfielder, striker, and marksman.

"I was just a footballer who loved the game, and he was a celestial figure in the football world. It's a humbling experience. A multi-talented footballer like him is a rarity," Sarkar added.

Sarkar had a chance to witness his "hero" up close, not in his playing days but during the 1986 World Cup, when Beckenbauer coached West Germany to a runners-up finish.

"I had gone there (to Mexico) as an accredited journalist and saw him up close. However, I never had the opportunity to talk to him or take a photo with him. It remains the saddest part of my life," Sarkar lamented.

"It's an honour to be even remotely associated with his greatness, but at the same time, it's overwhelming."