When Mayor Dieter Reiter (SPD) was subsequently presented with a jersey from FC Bayern on his 66th birthday, the scenery in the large meeting room of Munich City Hall looked almost as usual, although many things were completely different. Handing over the jersey to the club’s avowed fan has long since become a tradition as part of the annual championship celebrations. But this time only the FC Bayern footballers had successfully defended their title in the Bundesliga, which is why only they were duly applauded and cheered on Tuesday afternoon when they stepped onto the town hall balcony after the reception at Reiter and the entry in the city’s guest book.
Unlike last year at the joint championship celebration with the men, there were now not 20,000 people on Marienplatz, but, according to estimates, around 2,500. Nevertheless, the women were able to look out from the balcony at a considerable crowd, which covered the city’s central square quite well filled. There were also many passers-by, onlookers and tourists who spontaneously stopped. Nevertheless, around 200 to 300 people, who were recognizable as Bayern fans because of their scarves and jerseys, drowned out the chimes on the tower of the new town hall with their chants.
On the balcony, the FC Bayern women presented their championship trophy and did the La-Ola. The supporters sang about the wonderful day, and of course the sponsor’s oversized wheat beer glasses were not missing. Only the big fanfare that is usually made around the men was missing this time. Instead, it was a comparatively small but fine championship celebration, which the women later concluded with a meal together.
“Of course we would have loved to stand here with the men,” said right-back Giulia Gwinn, but it was “very, very nice that we can stand here again and be welcomed like that.” The 24-year-old viewed the considerable response as “confirmation of our path.” Her teammate Linda Dallmann noted that a championship celebration without the men was “not really Bayern-like”. But perhaps, said the midfielder, “it’s also a sign” that the women’s successes are “worth just as much.”
Department head Bianca Rech also recognized the reception as “great appreciation.” However, there was no sense of satisfaction among the women at having been more successful than the men this season and now being alone in the spotlight. Winning the women’s championship is “a title for FC Bayern, for the club,” said Rech. On the sidelines of the championship celebration, the contract extension with head coach Alexander Straus until 2026 was also announced.
The female footballers at FC Bayern don’t like to draw comparisons to men anyway. Also because women’s football in Germany was neglected by associations and clubs for a long time and still has much more modest requirements, despite its considerable popularity. “I think we just have to look at how our own development has taken place,” said Gwinn, adding that we can be “very, very proud of everything we have accomplished and how many people we have already inspired.”
But of course men were also a recurring theme at the championship celebration, including right at the beginning of the reception in the large meeting room in front of around 50 guests. “It’s not just Leverkusen who manages to stay unbeaten all season, the Bayern women can do it too,” said Reiter during his speech. That was just one of several allusions to men’s football, and the next step for FC Bayern’s professional footballers immediately followed.
“I now want to hide all references to men’s sports. Also that you can win in Hoffenheim,” Reiter teased. The men lost 2-4 at TSG on Saturday despite a 2-0 lead, while the Munich women won 4-1 in Hoffenheim on Whit Monday. “I am pleased that sport is female today,” said sports mayor Verena Dietl (SPD). Thanks to the Bayern women’s championship title, Munich “is shining out into the world again.”
President Herbert Hainer as well as board members Jan-Christian Dreesen (Chairman), Michael Diederich (Finance) and the outgoing Andreas Jung (Marketing) also came from FC Bayern. Hainer described the women as role models, also because of their solidarity and team spirit. “That always helps to get through difficult times,” said Hainer. Anyone who wanted to could understand this as a cross-reference to the men. Next year, they hope at FC Bayern that the men will also have something to celebrate again, together with the women. And then, Hainer said to the champions, “I am convinced that you would like to take the men with you too.”