Franz Beckenbauer is facing a criminal investigation in Switzerland over allegations of financial malpractice in Germany's successful bid to host the 2006 World Cup.
The Attorney General of Switzerland named Beckenbauer, a World Cup winner as a player and manager with West Germany, as one of four men facing criminal proceedings.
The four are Beckenbauer, former German football association presidents Wolfgang Niersbach and Theo Zwanziger, and former general secretary Horst Rudolf Schmidt. All four were members of Germany's World Cup organising committee, with Beckenbauer its president.
A statement from the prosecutor said: "The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland has opened criminal proceedings in connection with the German Football Association (Deutscher Fussball- Bund (DFB)).
"The suspects were members of the executive board of the organising committee for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
"The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland opened criminal proceedings on 6 November 2015. The proceedings relate in particular to allegations of fraud , criminal mismanagement, money laundering and misappropriation.
"The suspects in the criminal proceedings are: Horst Rudolf Schmidt. Theo Zwanziger. Franz Beckenbauer. Wolfgang Niersbach."
Source: PA
