FC Bayern is expanding its Legends team to include five prominent figures from women's football: Karin Danner, Melanie Leupolz, Lena Lotzen, Viktoria Schnaderbeck and Gina Lewandowski will represent the club alongside Giovane Élber and colleagues as newly integrated ‘FC Bayern Women Legends’.
Giovane Élber draws a Paulaner, while the four women sit at the bar, looking forward to the first round: this is how Karin Danner, Viktoria Schnaderbeck, Melanie Leupolz and Lena Lotzen start their tenure as new members of the FC Bayern Legends. "Welcome back," Élber calls out to the long-serving FCB players, before everyone raises their glass. A simple scene - but a significant one: over the decades, FCB Women have become an integral part of the Bayern family. On the pitch and socially, they meet as equals. After enjoying a beer together, the new FC Bayern Legends, including the USA's Gina Lewandowski, participate in an illustrious programme in front of a record crowd of 57,762 spectators at the Allianz Arena around the 2-0 win in the Bundesliga opener against Bayer Leverkusen. "It was like coming home," says Viki Schnaderbeck the next day as she looks back on the premiere.
As players and managers, these women have helped shape the history of FC Bayern and have had a lasting impact on the club's development. In their new role, they will now work with FC Bayern to address issues beyond the pitch, from the further development of women's football to the compatibility of competitive sport and motherhood and the transition of professional sportswomen into a life after their playing careers. It's "an important signal", said president Herbert Hainer, "we should also recognise the achievements of women in our Legends team - they are pioneers". Women's football has travelled a long road full of hurdles, "but at FC Bayern we already had a team when women weren't even officially allowed to play - our women still exemplify this forward-thinking attitude, this courage to take a stand and be innovative."
Inspiration for both girls and boys
Schnaderbeck took a look around the Esplanade, above all in the build-up to the Bundesliga opener, and realised: "There were a lot of children, and I deliberately don't say girls, but also a lot of boys - that makes me happy and shows that we inspire everyone.” She found it hard to tear herself away from the fan festival, said the long-serving captain of the Austrian national team. It's a great honour to remain part of the FC Bayern family as a Legend. "This recognition not only signifies personal appreciation, but also sends a strong signal to us former players," said Schnaderbeck. "In Munich, I matured from a girl to a woman, made friends for life and look back with gratitude on unforgettable memories such as the two championships and winning the DFB Cup."
Alongside president Hainer, Danner takes over the award ceremony for an exclusive competition for members on the Esplanade, then enthusiastically remarks: "After decades as a player and manager, it fills me with gratitude to be able to continue to represent women's football at FC Bayern as a Legend. "The fact the club is now including female Legends is “a sign of respect, equality and shared history”.
A few weeks after taking up her duties, Danner joins Leupolz at the Bavarian Sports Awards ceremony to accept the award as ‘Ambassadors of Bavarian Sport’ on behalf of the team who are playing in Wolfsburg that day. Like Giulia Gwinn and her teammates, the Women Legends stand for a major development whose influence doesn't stop at the touchline. We'll drink to that - with Giovane Élber and the rest of the (Bayern) world.
Momoko Tanikawa recently agreed a contract extension with FC Bayern Women:
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