FC Bayern Munich
Fußball-Club Bayern München, also known as Bayern Munich or FC Bayern, is a German professional sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. They are best known for their men’s football team, which plays in the Bundesliga, the top tier of the German football league system. Bayern Munich is the most successful club in German football history, with a record 33 national titles, including eleven consecutive titles from 2013 to 2023, and 20 national cups, along with numerous European honors.
Founded in 1900 by eleven players led by Franz John, Bayern won its first national championship in 1932 but was not selected for the Bundesliga’s inception in 1963. The club’s greatest success came in the mid-1970s when, under captain Franz Beckenbauer, they won the European Cup three consecutive times (1974–1976). Overall, Bayern has won six European Cup/UEFA Champions League titles (a German record), their sixth title coming in the 2020 final as part of the Treble, making them the second European club to achieve this feat twice. Bayern has also won one UEFA Cup, one European Cup Winners’ Cup, two UEFA Super Cups, two FIFA Club World Cups, and two Intercontinental Cups, making them one of the most successful European clubs internationally and the only German club to have won both international titles. Bayern players have accumulated five Ballon d’Or awards, two The Best FIFA Men’s Player awards, five European Golden Shoe awards, and three UEFA Men’s Player of the Year awards, including UEFA Club Footballer of the Year.
By winning the 2020 FIFA Club World Cup, Bayern Munich became only the second club to win the “sextuple” (winning the League, Cup, and Champions League in one season, followed by the Domestic Supercup, UEFA Supercup, and Club World Cup in the next season), or all trophies a club competes for in a given calendar year. Bayern Munich is one of five clubs to have won all three of UEFA’s main club competitions and the only German club to achieve that. As of May 2023, Bayern Munich is ranked second in UEFA club rankings. The club has traditional local rivalries with 1860 Munich and 1. FC Nürnberg.
Since the 2005–06 season, Bayern has played its home games at the Allianz Arena, having previously played at Munich’s Olympiastadion for 33 years. The team colors are red and white, and the crest features the white and blue flag of Bavaria. In terms of revenue, Bayern Munich is the largest sports club in Germany and the third highest-earning football club in the world, behind Barcelona and Real Madrid, with earnings of €634.1 million in 2021. As of August 2023, Bayern had over 300,000 official members and 4,557 officially registered fan clubs with over 362,000 members. The club also has departments for chess, handball, basketball, gymnastics, bowling, table tennis, and senior football, with more than 1,100 active members.
Achievement
Domestic Competitions:
- German Champions/Bundesliga (33 titles): 1932, 1968–69, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1993–94, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23
- DFB-Pokal (20 titles): 1956–57, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1968–69, 1970–71, 1981–82, 1983–84, 1985–86, 1997–98, 1999–2000, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2018–19, 2019–20
- DFB/DFL-Supercup (10 titles): 1987, 1990, 2010, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022
- DFL-Ligapokal (6 titles): 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2007
Continental Competitions:
- European Cup/UEFA Champions League (6 titles): 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 2000–01, 2012–13, 2019–20
- UEFA Cup (1 title): 1995–96
- UEFA/European Cup Winners’ Cup (1 title): 1966–67
- UEFA/European Super Cup (2 titles): 2013, 2020
Worldwide Competitions:
- FIFA Club World Cup (2 titles): 2013, 2020
- Intercontinental Cup (2 titles): 1976, 2001
Notable Player
Manuel Neuer
- Position: Goalkeeper
- Joined Bayern Munich: 2011
- Notable Achievements:
- Bundesliga Titles: 11 (2012–13 to 2022–23)
- DFB-Pokal Titles: 5 (2012–13, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2018–19, 2019–20)
- UEFA Champions League Titles: 2 (2012–13, 2019–20)
- FIFA Club World Cup Titles: 2 (2013, 2020)
- UEFA Super Cup Titles: 2 (2013, 2020)
- Captain: Became captain in 2017
- Key Attributes: Renowned for his shot-stopping ability, distribution, and “sweeper-keeper” style
- Awards:
- Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper: 2020
- UEFA Goalkeeper of the Year: Multiple times
- Legacy: Considered one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time
Joshua Kimmich
- Position: Defensive Midfielder / Right Back
- Joined Bayern Munich: 2015
- Notable Achievements:
- Bundesliga Titles: 8 (2015–16 to 2022–23)
- DFB-Pokal Titles: 3 (2015–16, 2018–19, 2019–20)
- UEFA Champions League Title: 1 (2019–20)
- FIFA Club World Cup Title: 1 (2020)
- UEFA Super Cup Title: 1 (2020)
- Key Attributes: Versatile, known for his passing accuracy, tactical intelligence, and leadership qualities
- Awards:
- UEFA Champions League Defender of the Season: 2019–20
- German Footballer of the Year: 2021
- Legacy: Integral part of Bayern’s midfield and defense, known for his versatility and consistency