In the 26th minute of FC Bayern's match against SC Freiburg, the moment everyone had been waiting for arrived. Robert Lewandowski was ice-cold and absolutely sure of his finish when he converted the penalty for a 1-0 lead, entering his name into the record books. It was the world footballer's 40th goal of the season, matching Gerd Müller's record for the most goals in a single Bundesliga season. In 1971/72, der Bomber also scored 40 times, and for 49 years, the record was completely untouched. fcbayern.com has collected reaction from players and officials in the wake of the record-equalling goal, which came in the 2-2 draw in Freiburg.
Reaction to Lewandowski's achievement
Robert Lewandowski: "It's a great honour. For me, but also for the modern history of the Bundesliga in Germany. I'm very pleased about that. It was a legendary record that's stood for a long time. What Gerd Müller achieved was incredible. I never thought I could manage to share the record with him. I'm very proud and I can't quite believe it yet. I still need some time to process it. The record belongs to the whole team. It's not just my name on that list, it's the whole team."
Herbert Hainer (FC Bayern eV President): "Congratulations Robert Lewandowski! He's earned the right to write himself in the history books as Gerd Müller once did. Bayern can be immensely proud that football fans around the world will associate extraordinary forwards like these two with our club."
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (CEO): "We're all so happy for Robert Lewandowski. Seven years ago we brought him to FC Bayern on a free, and he's become one of the most valuable players in the club's history. Seven-time Bundesliga winner, Champions League winner, European Footballer of the Year, World Footballer of the Year- and now this. I played with Gerd Müller and know that he would want Robert to have this day. Both players are strikers who stand out in footballing history."
Oliver Kahn (Board member): "40 goals in one Bundesliga season! For years Robert Lewandowski has been setting goalscoring standards across the world. European Footballer of the Year, World Footballer and now this. With this goal, he is on a par with Gerd Müller, one of the greatest of all time. With this incredible performance, he has created a moment of history for him and the team here today. Congratulations and chapeau, Robert!"
Hasan Salihamidžić (Board Member for Sport): "It has been in the offing for weeks that Robert would be able to equal this record. He is the World Footballer of the Year, he has been the best striker in the world for some time now. I am very happy for him and for his achievement, which would not have been possible without the quality of his teammates. Robert has now achieved something alongside Gerd Müller that no one will be able to take away from him. I would very much have liked Gerd to have been in the stadium today. I think he would have been happy for Robert. Gerd was such an impeccable sportsman, and Robert adores him, just as we all adore Gerd. FC Bayern can be very proud of now having had two uniquely successful strikers on their books."
Hansi Flick: "Robert had his most successful season last year - he won the treble together with the team and became the world's best footballer. Now he has equalled Gerd Müller's historic tally. But it's also always a team performance, providing the opportunity for him to score the goals. Today we should have made it 3-1, but Freiburg deserved the point because of the second half. In the last few years, you would never have believed that [Müller's] record would be equalled. But in football, anything is possible. At the moment, Robert is the best striker in the world. What happens next, you'll just have to wait and see. How long he will hold onto this record, that's for his competitors to decide."
Thomas Müller: "It's hard to contextualise because it's kind of normal with Lewy. The way he just scores hat-tricks and almost miraculously conjures up goal after goal. It's not like he's just done it for one season either, but he's scored an incredibly high number of goals in recent years. It's just crazy. He even had two big chances [to add to his tally] today. He's also just an ordinary human being, but one who is very, very good in front of goal. I can't even historically contextualise something like this because I'm here in the moment myself. Gerd Müller's goals have brought this club to where we are now. Without Gerd Müller, we would be so much less, perhaps just walking to games. Without him, the club as it exists today would not exist. The club has become great through players like him and now that Lewy has put himself on a par, you can only stop and appreciate that fact. The team is happy for him and we appreciate what he does."
Ivica Olić, Thomas Müller, Mario Gómez and Roy Makaay are astounded by Lewy's achievement:
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