From Pitch To Boardroom

Andy Greeves Speaks Exclusively To Bayern Munich Chairman And The Club’s Second Highest Goal Scorer Of All-time, The Legendary Karl Heinz ‘Kalle’ Rummenigge.

- Andy Greeves

As both a player and a director, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is one of the most significant figures in the illustrious history of FC Bayern Munich. Rummenigge’s association with the Bavarian giants began back in the summer of 1974, when the then 18-year-old striker joined the reigning Bundesliga and European champions from amateur side Borussia Lippstadt. Over the next ten years ‘Kalle’, as he is known by Bayern fans, went on to score 217 goals in 422 appearances, winning two European Cups, two Bundesliga titles, two German Cups and the Intercontinental Cup in the process.

After spells with Internazionale and Swiss club Servette, Rummenigge retired from playing in 1989 before returning to Bayern two years later to take up a post as the club’s Vice-President alongside fellow legendary ex-player Franz Beckenbauer. He was then appointed to his current role as Chairman of the football department following the restructuring of the club as a joint-stock company in 2002.

“I can still remember receiving Bayern’s offer to join them when I was 18,” smiles Rummenigge, as he reflects back on his playing career. “It was a big surprise to me. I come from a town called Lippstadt, which is about 600km from Munich, so I never could have imagined that this kind of opportunity would arise.

“Joining such a great club as Bayern Munich was incredible. A club that, at that time, had players like Sepp Maier, Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller and Uli Hoeness. I jumped at the chance of signing for them.”

Rummenigge made a somewhat auspicious start to his Bayern career, making his debut in a 6-0 away defeat to Kickers Offenbach on 24 August, 1974. His first goal for the club arrived in his fourth appearance for them, a 6-3 victory over 1.FC Koln at the Olympiastadion.