Beckenbauer breaks silence to deny WC ‘bribe’

German football great Franz Beckenbauer has again rejected allegations of bribes paid in connection with the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Breaking a long silence on the affair, Beckenbauer wrote in Germany’s Bild newspaper: “The award of the World Cup to Germany was not bought to the best of my knowledge. We did not want to bribe anyone and wedid not bribe anyone.”