FC Bayern Munich is the german football club.
History: FC Bayern München
Formed by Franz John in Munich's Gisela restaurant in February 1900 after a group of enthusiasts had split from the MTV 1879 club, Bayern were originally known as Schwabinger after the straw hats worn by their players. Early success was limited to victory in the 1932 German championship and German Cup in 1957, but the club have since become one of the strongest in world football.
Kaiser arrives
Bayern did not feature in the 1.Bundesliga when it began in 1963 but two years later fought their way to the top flight. It was then that Franz Beckenbauer came on the scene and the rest is history. With Sepp Maier in goal behind the "Kaiser" and Gerd Müller prowling up front, Bayern began to dominate. Indeed, since 1966 - and featuring other legends such as Uli Hoeness, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Lothar Matthäus - they had won 16 Bundesliga titles and nine German Cups by 2002, achieving the double in 1997 and 1999 and the treble of Bundesliga, Cup and League Cup in 2000.
European achievements
Even more impressive is their record on the Continent where they have won four European Cups - three in succession between 1974 and 1976 and again in 2001 - as well as a UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1967 (beating Rangers FC 1-0) and a UEFA Cup in 1996 (5-1 on aggregate against FC Girodins de Bordeaux). Decades of drought:
It is, however, in their quest for the ultimate prize that Bayern are best known. Their hat-trick of European Cups in the Seventies (against Club Atlético de Madrid in 1974, Leeds United AFC in 1975 and A.S.St Etienne in 1976) was followed by 20 years of drought in which they suffered the anguish of losing European Cup finals in 1982 (against Aston Villa FC), 1987 (against FC Porto) and most memorably in the 1999 UEFA Champions League final against Manchester United FC. In that game, the Bavarian club finally looked on course for a fourth victory when they led Manchester United 1-0 going into extra time. But heartbreak followed as the English team stole the prize with two goals in as many minutes. Paradise regained: In 2000 Bayern again looked poised for glory before falling to Real Madrid in the semi-finals. The German champions, under coach Ottmar Hitzfeld, were therefore on a revenge mission in 2001 and, for once, everything went right. They disposed of Manchester United in the quarter-finals and Real in the semis. In the final against Valencia CF they fell behind to a third-minute penalty but in a match of 16 spot kicks Stefan Effenberg equalised for Bayern early in the second half, the remaining 14 penalties coming in the dramatic shoot-out which Bayern finally won thanks to mercurial goalkeeper Oliver Kahn. 
German Football league
FC Bayern Munich
