Bayern Munich team guide: History, trophies won and notable former players of 2025 FIFA Club World Cup club

Bayern Munich are two-time FIFA Club World Cup champions and they look to add to their considerable trophy case when they arrive on American shores this summer.

The Bavarians are the most successful club in German football and should be considered among the favourites this summer.

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DAZN News has everything you need to know about Bayern Munich. 

Bayern Munich team guide

Location

Munich is the largest city in the Bavarian region of Germany and third-largest in the entire country.

A thriving metropolis, Munich is home to several clubs, three of which compete in the German third division or higher. 

Origin

Bayern Munich can claim lineage all the way back to the late 19th century, when a gymnastic club of the same name was formed. The football club was officially born in 1900, when FC Bayern joined the DFB (the organisation that governs the sport in Germany).

Bayern was quickly established as a force in the region, winning several local titles. In 1932, the club won their first national title — a feat they would not achieve again for decades.

A DFB-Pokal title in 1957 marked Bayern’s return to national prominence, and in the mid-1960s the club began a run of dominance that has remained to this day.

Nicknames

• Die Bayern (The Bavarians)
• Die Roten (The Reds)
• FC Hollywood

Trophies won

• German championship/Bundesliga (34)
• DFB-Pokal (20)
• DFL-Supercup (10)
• DFL-Ligapokal (6)
• European Cup/UEFA Champions League (6)
• UEFA Cup (1)
• UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup (1)
• UEFA/European Super Cup (2)
• FIFA Club World Cup (2)
• Intercontinental Cup (2)

Bayern have won every trophy available to them, including a pair of Club World Cup titles.

Notable former players

• Franz Beckenbauer (1964-1977)
• Gerd Müller (1964-1979)
• Uli Hoeneß (1970-1979)
• Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (1974-1984)
• Lothar Matthäus (1984-1988 and 1992-2000)
• Oliver Kahn (1994-2008)
• Philipp Lahm (2002-2017)
• Bastian Schweinsteiger (2002-2015)
• Franck Ribery (2007-2019)
• Arjen Robben (2009-2019)
• Robert Lewandowski (2014-2022)

A club of Bayern’s history and stature can boast a long list of notable former players, including World Cup winners and Ballon d’Or recipients.

Not surprisingly, most of the club’s biggest names are German, but recent years have seen Bayern recruit some of the best talents from around the world.

Top scorer (Bundesliga 24/25) - Harry Kane (25 goals)

The Englishman has been a force this season, his second with the club after joining from Tottenham Hotspur.

Manager- Vincent Kompany (BEL)

The former Manchester City defender was a controversial choice for the Bayern manager’s job when he joined the club in the summer of 2024, as his previous managerial experience was limited to two seasons with Burnley and three campaigns with Anderlecht.

Kompany has proven the naysayers wrong so far as Bayern are on track to reclaim the Bundesliga title after finishing third behind Bayer Leverkusen and VfB Stuttgart last season.

How Bayern Munich qualified for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup

Bayern are one of 12 UEFA teams competing in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and qualified as the best ranked eligible team in the UEFA 4-year ranking.

Bayern Munich group, schedule at 2025 FIFA Club World Cup

The German giants have been drawn into Group C with Auckland City, Boca Juniors and Benfica. 

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