Bayern Munich finally got its hands on the Bundesliga trophy on Saturday, completing a campaign that redefined German scoring history.
Harry Kane's fourth hat trick of the season—featuring in a 5-1 rout of Cologne—raised his personal tally to 36 league goals, leaving him five short of Robert Lewandowski's record from 2020-21. The England striker's performance ensured Bayern finished with 122 goals across the campaign, comfortably eclipsing the previous Bundesliga benchmark of 101 set by the 1971-72 vintage featuring Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Müller.
The matchup already has enough history; the job is to keep the reading list shorter than the tension.
Leon Goretzka, departing after eight seasons, struck the goal that broke the record with five rounds remaining. "We have a great group, a great togetherness, and to celebrate success with that is awesome," Bayern sporting director Max Eberl said after securing his second league title with the club.
A season of dominance, with caveats
Vincent Kompany's side sealed the title with four games to spare but couldn't lift the trophy until Saturday—the familiar "salat Näpfchen" making its delayed appearance. The wait seemed to sharpen the celebration rather than dull it.
The triumph snaps a peculiar streak: aside from Bayer Leverkusen's unbeaten domestic run in 2024, Bayern has claimed every Bundesliga since Borussia Dortmund's back-to-back wins in 2012. That near-decade of monopoly makes the trophy feel less like a surprise and more like an expectation recalibrated.
Michael Olise, whose 15 goals and 22 assists across 32 appearances earned him Player of the Season honours, offered a reminder that Bayern's future hinges on more than just Kane.
A wet goodbye before the next fight
Manuel Neuer, who extended his contract through Friday, passed the trophy to Goretzka for the lift—a moment that triggered the usual beer shower chaos. Dayot Upamecano doused Kompany before the coach could reach his family on the sideline. "I'd say today it's OK to celebrate a little," Joshua Kimmich said. "Then we have a week and then we'll be fully focused on the cup final."
Bayern meets defending German Cup champion Stuttgart in Berlin's Olympiastadion next Saturday. The celebrations will be brief; the scheduling demands it.