If it says FC Bayern on it, it's FC Bayern inside. This is not only true in general, but was also demonstrated on Sunday in the Gangnam district of Seoul, South Korea. On the façade of the adidas Brand Center, Thomas Müller, Harry Kane and Konrad Laimer looked down on the busy street from a giant screen. And it got even better than this visual eye-catcher: during the course of the afternoon, Müller in person, head coach Vincent Kompany, Minjae Kim and João Palhinha stopped by for a Meet & Greet as part of the Audi Summer Tour.
The Bayern stars entered the shop to chants – "Kim! Kim! "Kim" here, "Müller! Stay in Seoul forever!" there – as over 100 fans and guests waited for them. FCB mascot Berni was there too and entertained the throng of supporters with selfies and jokes.
Gifts for the Bayern players
Before the autograph session, an extensive fan talk took place on a lovingly decorated stage. Kompany and his players were each presented with a high-quality illustrated picture and then took off their shoes before the question and answer session could begin. They sat cross-legged on the floor in the South Korean tradition, which Müller later commented on whimsically: "It feels very comfortable. We had a stretching session in the morning, so it's not a problem for us."
Kompany thanked the South Korean fans for "all the love" that he and his team have received from the fans during their stay in Seoul: "Thank you Seoul, thank you Korea! We've had a wonderful time. For me personally, it was a new culture, a new country. I'm very curious and happy to be here."
New signing Palhinha also thoroughly enjoyed his first few days at FC Bayern during the Audi Summer Tour. "Nothing makes me prouder than playing for such a big club. The support we've received since we arrived here has been fantastic," said the Portuguese. Müller agreed with this and the Bayern veteran was impressed by "how the people in South Korea love our sport, how they love football and how well informed they are about Bayern Munich".
„We know our value and know what we can achieve together.”
João Palhinha
Excitement for new season
Kompany and his charges then looked ahead to the forthcoming season. The excitement for the new campaign is high, stressed the new boss. Müller set out the direction: "We want to play football that our fans and we as players enjoy. And of course, we want to win trophies. We want to score goals and defend together. And we'll try to improve bit by bit."
While Bayern are aware of the great competition, they're tuning in to their strengths and unity within the team. "We know we'll have to work hard because the Bundesliga will be very competitve again this season, but we know our value and know what we can achieve together," said Palhinha.
All the news from FC Bayern's Audi Summer Tour 2024 in Seoul:
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