There's nothing better than becoming champion with FC Bayern. The more often the better, in the view of Holger Badstuber. He thinks Bayern will be even stronger next season. In a title celebrations column for members’ magazine ‘51’, he writes about his first title, the treble, the Town Hall balcony and Thomas Müller.
The Holger Badstuber column
The first championship is the nicest, they always say, and it really is. I still remember well how I became German champion for the first time in 2010. It was the fulfilment of a childhood dream that you had worked towards for years, for which you had sacrificed things. And then you've done it, you hold the trophy aloft - and you're hungry for more. That's how it was for me, anyway. I always wanted to win and hold trophies in my hands.
In 2010 a young Holger Badstuber celebrated his first league title with Bayern.
Ten championships in a row is already pretty special. And one thing is certain: next season, the club will strive with all their might for the 11th title. That's just Bayern Munich, that's also the difference to other clubs. No matter what happened in the past, the goal for the new season is again to win as many trophies as possible. The competition shouldn't think that Bayern will get tired at some point. I actually think they’ll be even stronger in 2022/23 than recently, because they’ve been knocked out of the DFB Cup early in the last two years, and in the Champions League the club always sees itself among the last four. Bayern will do everything in their power to go all the way in these two competitions again.
The now 33-year-old lifted six Meisterschale with Bayern in total.
The fact that the 10th championship was wrapped up in the game against Dortmund was no surprise to me. I know how much prestige is at stake in this game. To be able to clinch the championship in your own stadium against Dortmund - that was a big advantage. And you're used to Bayern taking advantage of such an opportunity. As a spectator, you could feel that. At 1-0, the game was over. I even had the feeling that they didn't have to give 100 percent. The rivals in the Bundesliga, including Dortmund, are simply some way off, as you can also see in the table.
When I then see Thomas Müller celebrating his 11th title exuberantly on the pitch, I'm delighted. He is a phenomenon, a club legend. Throughout his career, he’s always gone into the game with the idea of winning. He doesn't have to motivate himself, it's just in him. And with that, he embodies FC Bayern like no other. There is never any doubt at Bayern. They know what they want and that they can beat anyone in the world.
Badstuber missed the 2013 Champions League final victory against Dortmund - his teammates paid tribute to him afterwards.
When you see Bayern's run of titles, it's easy to forget that losing is also part of the football business. Defeats can be very valuable, but you usually only realise that in retrospect. 2012 was the bitterest year of my career. Everyone knows what happened, but I am convinced that we drew a lot of strength and motivation from 2012. Everyone also knows what happened in 2013: the treble, which also kicked off the current championship run.
For me, the best thing about the championships in Munich was always the celebration with the fans. You drive through the city in a motorcade, then you stand on the balcony of the Town Hall, and down below the Marienplatz is packed. You really notice how connected people are to the club and what FC Bayern means to them. I wish the players and the fans that such unforgettable moments are hopefully possible again now. And there, too, the more often you can stand on the balcony, the better. It never gets boring.
Topics of this article