On June 30, 2023, Qatar Airways and Bayern Munich announced the mutual end of their partnership. Qatar Airways and the German giants enjoyed a successful partnership since 2018. Bayern Munich has won every major honor that there is to win in the club game, which includes 33 national titles and 20 national cup competitions. They have also been one of the standout teams in European competitions, having won their sixth Champions League title in 2020. Read on to learn more about the famous club’s history and achievements in the modern era here.
Early History
Bayern Munich was founded in 1990 by the Munich Gymnastics Club after it was determined that footballers from the club would not be eligible to join the DFB. Within a few months, Bayern had become one of the most dominant teams in the region, landing a massive 15-0 success against local rival FC Nordstern and reaching the last four of the South German Championship. First silverware would follow in 1910-11, as they would win several major local trophies before the team would later win the inaugural season of the Bavarian League. However, that would be their only success before the start of the First World War.
Success would follow again after the World War, winning regional competitions on several occasions and the team’s first South Germany Championship in 1926. A first national title would soon follow, as they landed the prestigious honor in 1932. However, the rise to power of Adolf Hitler would have a damning impact on the club, with club president Kurt Landauer and the coach both forced to flee the country due to being Jewish. That led to the club being taunted by other fans as the ‘Jew’s Club.’
Golden Years
Little success followed after the Second World War, with Bayern struggling financially throughout the 1940s and 50s. However, the team would once again reach the top level of German football in the 60s, finishing third in their first season back in the Bundesliga. They would land a second DFB Pokal honor in 1967 before achieving their first league and cup double in the following campaign.
Huge success would follow after the appointment of Udo Lattek in 1970, with the club again winning the DFK Pokal. A third German championship would follow before another was achieved on the final day of the following season following a 5-1 win over Schalke, the first televised game in German football.
The dominant era would continue throughout much of the 70s, winning the European Cup in 1974, 1975, and 1976. During this period, the German team Bayern Munich also won the league titles on five occasions between 1971 and 1981.
Renewed International Success
Bayern would re-emerge as the leading side in Germany in Ottmar Hitzfield’s first season in charge between 1998 and 2004, winning the Bundesliga title on several occasions and landing Champions League glory following success against Valencia in 2002. Success would be hard to find following the departure of the coach before a major rebuild was underway in 2007 following the arrivals of Luca Toni and Franck Ribery.
Arjen Robben joined the club in 2009, and Bayern would achieve another period of dominance, including reaching the Champions League final in 2009. The club would also win a domestic double under Louis van Gaal before the Dutchman was released from his contract after underwhelming performances in the Champions League.
Bayern’s dominance in Germany would reach new heights throughout the 2010s and 2020s, with esteemed managers such as Carlo Ancelotti, Pep Guardiola, and Thomas Tuchel all taking the hot seat. The German giants would win a second treble in 2012-13, winning on their first Champions League final appearance in four years against German rivals Borussia Dortmund.
Domestic success has been much easier to come by for Bayern throughout modern history, as they have won every Bundesliga title since the 2012-13 season. Since then, the Bavarian giants have also won the DFB Pokal on five occasions and were most recently crowned champions of Europe in 2020 following a 1-0 victory against PSG.
Conclusion
Bayern Munich has been one of the most dominant club teams in the world since being formed. However, they have never experienced as much success as they have in recent history. That esteemed winning run looks set to continue in 2023-24, as influential striker Harry Kane will lead their dreams of European and domestic glory.
