By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Top-flight football in Germany returns on Saturday with VfB Stuttgart vs Bayern Munich in the newly named Franz Beckenbauer Super Cup.
The ‘friendly’, which is now named after the late Beckenbauer, pits the winner of the Bundesliga against the winner of the DFB Pokal. Last season’s addition saw Stuttgart lose to Bayer Leverkusen on penalties.
The Supercup is renowned for producing highly entertaining spectacles with thrilling on-field action, and this year’s contest is expected to be no different, with two fast-paced, attacking teams ready to go head-to-head in front of a worldwide audience.
Although Stuttgart and Bayern have met 112 times in the Bundesliga – with this fixture also boasting the division’s record collective attendance down through the years – this will be their first clash in the Supercup.
The occasion will offer the Bavarian giants the opportunity to lift the trophy for a ninth time since 2010, while the Swabians will aim for just their second success after first emerging triumphant back in 1992, then as defending Bundesliga champions.
Recent meetings between the sides have thrown up some memorable moments, raising the prospect of another not-to-be-missed game this time around. On Matchday 7 last term, Harry Kane produced what in Germany is described as a lupenreiner Hattrick as the record champions eased to a 4-0 victory against Stuttgart at the Allianz Arena: the English marksman scored all of his three goals uninterrupted by any other goalscorer and all in the same half to complete a highly memorable feat.
Finishing second in the Bundesliga in 2023-24 further added to Stuttgart coach Hoeneß’s rising reputation. The 43-year-old tactician is a Munich native and was even on Bayern’s books between 2017 and 2020. He added to his continued success in the dugout by overseeing Stuttgart’s fourth DFB-Pokal triumph with last May’s 4-2 final win against DSC Arminia Bielefeld in Berlin.
VfB strikers Nick Woltemade and Deniz Undav both scored either side of an Enzo Millot double to help Die Schwaben ease to the victory that has taken them to this Supercup meeting with Bayern.
Vincent Kompany, meanwhile, joined an elite band of coaches to win the Bundesliga title in their first full season in charge. Bayern topped the standings with a 13-point advantage over the outgoing champions Leverkusen. Saturday’s Supercup sees something of the beginning of a new era for the team after legendary forward Thomas Müller’s departure, but a new star attraction has arrived in Colombia international Luis Díaz, who could make his competitive debut for Bayern.
All told, the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup should provide fans with an exquisite flavour of what’s to come in 2025-26, with Saturday’s game at the 60,058 capacity MHPArena set to get underway at 8.30pm CEST.