Beckenbauer, 60, who is the only man to win the World Cup as captain (1974) and then coach (1990), and is currently the president of the German organising committee for these finals, said he would be interested in standing for the UEFA presidency if Lennart Johansson, 76, was to retire.

Beckenbauer was responding to comments made by current FIFA president Sepp Blatter in the German media on Thursday in which the Swiss was quoted as saying that Beckenbauer did not want to be FIFA president, nor could he be because of his other commitments.

Beckenbauer replied: "He's right. And I don't speak six or seven languages fluently like Mr. Blatter either which you need to be the president of FIFA.

"But it would be different with UEFA. In Europe everyone speaks English and my English could be better but it is good enough.

"Lennart Johansson said he will make a decision over the next few months about his future and let's wait and see until he does make that decision. I would be interested if Lennart Johnasson was to stand down."

Beckenbauer, who is not an elected member of any FIFA body, has long been regarded as a candidate for high office in both UEFA and FIFA.

If he did stand for election as UEFA president, he would have to run against his old playing adversary Michel Platini of France, a member of both the FIFA and UEFA executive committees.

Platini has already declared his intention to stand for the UEFA presidency when the reign of Johannson, which began in 1990, eventually ends.