Roy Makaay (illustration by Sarah Matuszewski) wore the FC Bayern shirt from 2003 to 2007, scoring a handsome 103 goals in 183 appearances. For Rudolphus Anton 'Roy' Makaay, to give him his full name, the 2004/05 campaign was the most successful of his four with Bayern as the Dutchman netted 34 goals, including seven in the Champions League. Now 45, the two-time Bundesliga winner remembers one match in particular, as he told FC Bayern magazine '51': the Champions League group game against Ajax on 28 September 2004 at the Munich Olympic Stadium.
Roy Makaay's 'game of his life'
Cause for celebration: Roy Makaay delivered a big performance against the team from his home country. Ajax captain Rafael van der Vaart was not so impressed in the background.
"It's not that easy to pick the game of my life, but if I had to choose, I'd go for the 4-0 win over Ajax in the Champions League group stage. I scored the first three goals - my only hat-trick in an FCB shirt - and set up the fourth for Zé Roberto."
Wonder goal to open scoring
Bang! Makaay lets rip from 25 metres and sticks the ball in the back of the net. John Heitinga comes too late.
"The first goal was maybe the best that I ever scored for Bayern," he continues. "Owen Hargreaves played a long ball forward, I carried it forward two or three touches and struck it in the corner from 25 metres. The second goal was a header into the far corner from a free-kick and the third was a penalty."
Meeting with compatriots
Makaay made sure he got a shirt as a memento of his match-winning display against the Dutch giants.
"Of course, the game is also special for me because it was against Ajax. It was the first time since leaving Holland in 2000 that I'd played against a team from my country. The win was very important for us at the time. It was the first season under Felix Magath and we were only fourth in the Bundesliga at that point."
Double winner
Makaay won the double with Bayern at the end of the 2004/05 season, a feat he repeated the following year.
"At the end of the season we won the league and cup, and a year later we become the first German team to defend the double. Unfortunately we didn't make it further than the quarter-finals in the Champions League, but nevertheless I look back fondly on that period."
Another special moment for Roy Makaay in Bayern colours: the quickest goal in Champions League history 👇
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