Franz Anton Beckenbauer (born 11 September 1945) is a German football manager, and former player, nicknamed Der Kaiser ("The Emperor") because of his elegant style; his leadership; his first name "Franz" (reminiscent of the Austrian emperors), and his dominance on the football pitch. He is generally regarded as one of the greatest German footballers of all time and one of the most decorated footballers in the history of the game. Beckenbauer was a versatile player, who started out as a midfielder, but made his name as a defender. He is often credited as having invented the role of the modern sweeper or libero.