The core of FC Bayern

It’s a moment FC Bayern fans will never forget. The ball flew from Joshua Kimmich’s right boot, arcing in the air over outstretched legs of defenders, over the leaping Leon Goretzka and Robert Lewandowski, but perfectly onto the head of Kingsley Coman. He met the ball, looking for the far corner, past the diving goalkeeper, and the net rippled – Bayern lead 1-0 in the 2020 Champions League final against Paris St. Germain. It was the game-winning goal in Lisbon, which fired FC Bayern München to the pinnacle of European football for the sixth time in the club’s history.

Moments like these encompass everything that makes football ‘the beautiful game’. The skill and class of the players shines through. A goal gets etched into history forever. These moments spark emotions that only sport can generate. Where were you that night? How did you watch the game? How did you celebrate? These are the moments that fans talk about for generations.

I always have to smile when Kingsley tells me that he never actually saw this historic moment: headers aren’t one of his strengths, and he closed his eyes as the ball came to him. ‘Just close your eyes and hope for the best’ isn’t always the worst advice to live by, at least in the heat of the moment on the football pitch.

Behind the scenes, I prefer a different motto: We here at FC Bayern always need to be alert, always having our eyes open. Clubs from all over the world are looking for players with the ability of a Kingsley Coman, a Joshua Kimmich, a Leon Goretzka or a Jamal Musiala. It’s a great sign that both domestic and international talents see their futures with us.

To be able to extend the contracts of so many key players should make our fans optimistic that FC Bayern will continue competing with Europe’s elite in the near future. Our club has always been one characterised by squad consistency, and we are sticking to that path. At a time when the investor-financed competition have bigger and bigger opportunities, FC Bayern’s philosophy has shone through. That is important and it is recognised worldwide – even among the world-class players around the globe.

I think it’s great when players like Kingsley Coman say that FC Bayern has become their home, because that is what’s special about our club and is a key point, alongside both our sporting and financial opportunities. We need a Thomas Müller or a Julian Nagelsmann, and we also need international talents like Kingsley Coman or Robert Lewandowski. The basis of success is that every one of them senses what FC Bayern actually means. That’s the core, the character and the philosophy of our club, going into the future too.

I played with Franck Ribéry myself. When he came to FC Bayern in 2007, what a player he was, unbelievable! We all thought – as did he – that he’d be here for two or three years and then Real Madrid or another huge club would come calling. Real Madrid did call, as did other clubs, but Franck stayed. We had the same thing with Arjen Robben and Javi Martinez and we’re experiencing it once again with Lewandowski or Coman: The players become Bayern, in the truest sense of the word.

We strive to offer our fans players of the highest calibre, as well as ones who understand this club – that’s part of our strategy. These contract extensions of key payers in their prime years have laid the foundations for the future. It is about unity, team spirit, consistency, identity, and moments that the fans will never forget. People visit the stadium because of players like Kingsley Coman – anyone who can be successful with their eyes closed will always capture attention. I’m really excited about our team over the next few years.

Oliver Kahn