FC Bayern's impressive 5-1 victory over Arsenal was only 12 hours old when Europe's premier club competition returned to the Allianz Arena in the form of Giovane Elber, Bixente Lizarazu and Hasan Salihamidzic. The three Champions League heroes from 2001 were officially unveiled as new FC Bayern brand ambassadors at the Erlebniswelt on Thursday morning.
"It's a nice day, of course, after yesterday evening," said chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who joined Uli Hoeneß to welcome the trio. Along with veteran brand ambassador Paul Breitner, the three legends will represent the FC Bayern brand "in Germany, but especially abroad." Rummenigge called the four former Bayern pros "major crowd-pleasers," who have achieved "great things" for FC Bayern. "The four have a strong bond to the club, they support the ideas we represent," added Rummenigge.
FC Bayern maintain tradition
"All four players are top-notch representatives of our club. The lads are to communicate the club's ethos because they've understood it. Their task is to help FC Bayern's image become even more established, drawing on their personality and charisma. I'm very grateful to the club for persuading such great players to implement this plan," Hoeneß declared.
FC Bayern are continuing the established tradition of binding players of merit closely to the club. An all-year programme was designed for the brand ambassadors to work on marketing and public relations activities for the club and its partners, content production for the club media, internationalisation and social activities
Intense months for brand ambassadors
"It's a great honour to represent a club like this on a global scale. It's fun, it's never boring," former goal-getter Elber commented, stressing: "FC Bayern are more than a club." Salihamidzic too felt "proud and honoured" to work as an FCB ambassador: "I spent the best years of my life here. We've integrated this feeling of the Bayern family, and we want to pass it on," declared Brazzo.
"There aren't many clubs in the world that do something like this and involve former players," revealed Lizarazu. "In our days Bayern was a great brand in Germany and in Europe, today it's a global brand. I'm very, very proud and pleased about the amabassador role," said the former world-class left-back, who has received lots of positive feedback for his future commitment in France.
Headed by Paul Breitner, previously Bayern's sole ambassador ("There's lots to do to represent this wonderful club"), the three recent arrivals can expect intense activity in the months ahead. "FCB has seen enormous growth over the last ten years and we must act accordingly," stressed Rummenigge. The task for the four brand ambassadors will be to "communicate FC Bayern's image, tradition and name to the footballing world."
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