Munich Derby Tradition

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Lore & Background

The Munich derby, known locally as the Münchner Stadtderby, pits Bayern Munich against TSV 1860 Munich. The rivalry's modern foundation was laid in 1963 during the formation of the Bundesliga. Bayern, despite a strong regional record, was ranked sixth based on the accumulated record of the last twelve years and was not selected. Local rivals 1860 Munich, ranked seventh, were given preference because they were champions of the 1962–63 Oberliga-Süd season. Bayern's initial protests were fruitless. In response, president Neudecker hired Zlatko Čajkovski, who had led 1. FC Köln to the national championship in 1962. With young players like Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Müller, and Sepp Maier—later called the axis—Bayern achieved promotion to the Bundesliga in 1965. This sequence of events established a competitive dynamic that saw Bayern eventually surpass 1860 Munich to become Germany's most successful club.

In Their Own Story

The narrative of this rivalry is anchored in the specific events surrounding the 1963 Bundesliga formation. Bayern Munich faced a pivotal moment when they were excluded from the inaugural national league despite their strong regional performance. The deciding factor was not just their sixth-place ranking by accumulated record, but the preference granted to 1860 Munich as the reigning champions of the Oberliga-Süd season. This exclusion sparked initial protests by Bayern that proved fruitless. In response, club president Neudecker rose to the challenge, hiring Zlatko Čajkovski, who had previously led 1. FC Köln to a national championship in 1962. The resulting team, featuring the future axis of Beckenbauer, Müller, and Maier, fought their way back, achieving promotion two years later in 1965. This sequence of events established the modern dynamic where Bayern eventually surpassed their local rival to become Germany's most successful club.

Did You Know?

• Bayern Munich was founded in 1900 by eleven members who left a Munich gymnastics club (MTV 1879) after being denied entry to the German Football Association.
• By 1920, Bayern had over 700 members, making it the largest football club in Munich.
• Bayern was taunted as the 'Jew's club' during the Nazi era, while local rival 1860 Munich gained much support.
• Bayern Munich has traditional local rivalries with 1860 Munich and 1. FC Nürnberg.
• The club's first national title was gained in 1932, defeating Eintracht Frankfurt 2–0 in the final.