bundesliga

Bayern Munich win Beckenbauer Cup indoor tournament

18.03.2025

A team of Bayern Munich legends saw off the likes of Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid in a one-off mini tournament in memory of the inimitable Franz Beckenbauer on 17 March.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest football figures ever, Beckenbauer died on 7 January 2024, aged 78.

As part of Bayern's 125th anniversary celebrations and in honour of Der Kaiser's storied career that included FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Championships wins with Germany, as well as four Bundesliga titles and three European Cups with Bayern, legends of the game took part in the sold-out tournament at the SAP Garden in Munich's Olympic Park.

Bayern went unbeaten in Group A, drawing with Ajax and Real, before besting Dortmund 2-0 in the semi-finals. A team managed by former captain Philipp Lahm and including Lothar Matthäus, Franck Ribéry, Arjen Robben, Mark van Bommel, Mario Mandžukić, Rafinha, Tom Starke, Hans Jörg Butt, Sebastian Rudy, Klaus Augenthaler, Thomas Linke, Giovane Élber, Claudio Pizarro, Diego Contento, Holger Badstuber, Paulo Sérgio, Raimond Aumann, Roy Makaay and Stefan Effenberg then put four without reply past Real in the final.

Having lost to Real on penalties in the last four, VfB Stuttgart finished third after edging Dortmund 2-1 in the third-place match, Cacau & Co. taking their revenge after losing to the Black-Yellows in the groups. AC Milan completed the field at the six-club indoor competition.