World football and sports in general has paid tribute to German icon Franz Beckenbauer who died on Sunday at age 78. International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach named Beckenbauer “a sporting legend far beyond football” in a statement on platform X, formerly Twitter. “He has made a greater contribution to sport in Germany than almost anyone else,” said Bach, naming Beckenbauer “a close and loyal friend for more than four decades, someone you could always rely on.” Former German basketball great Dirk Nowitzki said on X: “Franz Beckenbauer, one of the greatest German personalities in sp…