To mark Bayern’s 125th anniversary, Thomas Müller and Aleksandar Pavlović travelled back in time to their club’s founding. The duo slipped into a recreation of a kit from 1900 for our members' magazine ‘51’. How did the heavy cotton shirts, knee-length trousers with creases and massive leather boots feel? And what did it mean, then as now, to bear responsibility for Bayern? A conversation with two homegrown players about ‘Mia san mia’, milestones and benchmarks.
Thomas, what question would you like to ask one of Bayern’s founding fathers?
Müller: “Hmm, let's think... How big was the squad? I think they were 17 when they started, weren't they? So, what I would ask them is who were the main rivals, the best in the area so to speak, which club was the most progressive, along the lines of ‘that's where we want to be, we want to keep up with them, we want to beat them at some point because they're setting the standards right now’. It would be interesting for me to know with what goal FC Bayern was founded - for fun or with ambition?”
Pavlović: “Personally, I think people got together for football to have fun. They just wanted to do what they loved. This passion for football and for Bayern unites us across all generations. When we wear the jersey, we give everything for the club – then as now.”
What would the founding fathers say today if they saw FC Bayern 125 years later?
Müller: “I don't want to put words in anyone's mouth. That would almost be presumptuous. There's no such thing as a crystal ball, nor was there one back then. But you don't have to be a psychic to suggest that 125 years ago, hardly anyone would have imagined what FC Bayern would be like now. It's impressive how incredibly many people around the world are inspired by this club today, how many millions of people see it as something extremely positive in their lives - through our football, but also through many things at Bayern that go beyond football.”
How does it feel to slip into the historic jersey?
Pavlović: [struggling with the buttons on his trousers] “Did they really play football in shirts back then? Should it be that big? Just getting dressed would take me too long [laughs]. But I'd be very curious to find out what it was like to play in these clothes. How well you could walk in them, for example when it rained. How football was played back then. I find that exciting. It's completely different, not really my style at all. And the fact that people used to play football in it... I don't think I could do it. Although it's looser than I thought.”
Müller: “Well, I think you could play in these clothes. I certainly don't feel uncomfortable in them. I'm not sure I'd have the trousers necessarily going to below the knee, but they're very airy and you can move well in them. Maybe the length was also helpful when slide-tackling. I honestly don't know if it was possible to play on the finest grass everywhere back then.”
Pavlović: “But I have to say one thing. This shirt is bluish. There's no way Bayern can do that today. I only know Bayern in red. And I've never had a hairstyle like that. Phonzy Davies, Konrad Laimer and King Coman have already told me that I look like a gangster from an old film. The look is actually more familiar from Hollywood. It all suits Thomas perfectly. He's a bit older [smiles].”
Müller: “Yes, I was already playing back then. My parents just lied about my age [laughs]. Travelling back in time is always exciting. It makes you nostalgic when you experience first-hand what it must have felt like for those founding fathers. We're simply talking about a completely different time - both on and off the pitch. That really resonates.”
What will stick with you when you take the kits off again?
Pavlović: “The weight of the shoes. Also how unfamiliar the material feels. The trousers are really hard. The shirt is really just a shirt.”
Müller: “What sticks in my mind is the history that Bayern stands for. My football knowledge starts with Bayern’s promotion in 1965. You know the pictures from the Grünwalder Stadion. And I've been lucky enough to get to know some of the players from that time over the years. The way this club has developed is phenomenal.”
You are both native Bavarians, born in Munich and the surrounding area respectively, and have been at the club since you were children. You both stand for Bayern. Thomas, what do you think when you look at Aleks' path? Do you see parallels between you? Will he also shape the club one day?
Müller: “Of course, on paper there are parallels between us in terms of how we came to Bayern. Aleks' path is mapped out, he has everything it takes. But it always depends on what he makes of his opportunities. He must never rest on his laurels, but he doesn't do that either. Bayern has always been at its strongest when players who have grown up at the club have led the way. Aleks can become an important factor in the next generation, definitely.”
Aleks, Thomas became the record appearance holder. The club even had a statue carved in his honour...
Pavlović: “Thomas is simply unique, already an absolute legend of the club, a huge figure of identification for every fan and also for me as a player. I've always looked up to him. To be on the pitch with him now is incredible. I'm very grateful for that. He's a great role model. My goal is to become a legend here too. Breaking records is always an incentive. But over 700 games... That's incredible. Thomas belongs to Bayern - forever.”
How do you view 125 years of Bayern?
Müller: “You sometimes catch yourself feeling a certain sense of awe. When you look around here, or look at other clubs in Germany that certainly had good prerequisites, but didn't follow this path so consistently. Bayern must have always had a lot going for it, that's obvious.”
Pavlović: “The fact that Bayern has such a long tradition, that it has mastered so many ups and downs and today has such a status, known worldwide, is fascinating. You always have to realise what has been built up here, what this club stands for today. Bayern means everything to me. I've been playing here since the age of eight; I've spent my whole life at this club. It's a great feeling to be playing for Bayern as a professional now. My dream has come true.“
What makes the club so special?
Müller: “Where do you start? Where do you end? I think there’s a very special identity in the club. It certainly won't have been so firmly established around 1900, but something has developed over the decades that you don't find elsewhere in this form. The success story certainly began with the way Bayern established itself very quickly after promotion in 1965, both domestically and internationally. At that time, it was possible to retain that core of young players, many of them from Munich and Bavaria, that group around Franz Beckenbauer, Sepp Maier and Gerd Müller. Then came Uli Hoeneß, Paul Breitner. We mustn't forget Katsche Schwarzenbeck and Bulle Roth - they all became icons. Something grew back then that is still the foundation of Bayern today.”
Pavlović: “And of course this unconditional striving for success that emerged with this generation is still an essential and driving part of the club's DNA today. As a player, you get that from day one. In my eyes, the biggest secret of Bayern's success is the huge sense of solidarity, this family atmosphere at the club, together with the fans. You can just feel it, even on the pitch. We have this ‘Mia san mia’ inside us.”
What does ‘Mia san mia’ mean to you?
Pavlović: “For me, ‘Mia san mia’ means being a family, standing together in good times and bad. That's what we live by here from a young age, that we always stick together.”
Müller: “This ‘Mia san mia’ is a Bavarian term for me. I would explain it as follows: It describes the very own belief in one's own strength, in a grown cohesion and this deep, inner conviction that you can do anything together. At Bayern, this philosophy is certainly a cornerstone of success, established by the generation around Franz Beckenbauer, Uli Hoeneß, Gerd Müller and Sepp Maier.”
You can read the full interview in February’s edition of ‘51’
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