The 65-year-old made the announcement today, citing "personal and family reasons" for his decision to step down from the position he has held since January 2007.

"I had and have a good time with my colleagues on the FIFA board, and with UEFA, and I have a friendly relationship with Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini," said the Kaiser.

Beckenbauer's term as UEFA's representative on FIFA's Executive Committee ends next spring and a successor will be elected on March 22 in Paris.

At the age of 65, and having already stepped down as president of German Bundesliga club Bayern Munich, Beckenbauer, who won the World Cup as a player in 1974 and as a manager in 1994 before leading the organisation committee for the 2006 World Cup, explained that he feels he must now settle into his retirement.

"I would request that my decision be respected," he added.

The president of the German Football Association (DFB), Dr Theo Zwanziger, said he "very much regrets that he would like to step down" but that he "respects his reasons for wanting to leave".

"Franz Beckenbauer is an excellent man and is extraordinarily highly respected representative of German football throughout the world," added Dr Zwanziger on the DFB's website.

"We will now take our time to consider how we can propose a candidate for the election in the coming year."