2013 Treble Winners

Lore & Background

This was the first all-German Champions League final. Bayern Munich's 10th European Cup/Champions League final, third all-time behind Real Madrid (12) and A.C. Milan (11). They had previously won in 1974, 1975, 1976, and 2001. The 2013 final was their third final in four years, having lost in 2010 and 2012. For Dortmund, it was their second final, having won in 1997. One week later, Bayern won the 2012–13 DFB-Pokal and, having already won the 2012–13 Bundesliga, completed the continental treble.

In Their Own Story

The rain at Wembley fell softly, but inside the tunnel, the air was thick with twenty years of tension. Philipp Lahm adjusted his armband, looking down the line at his brothers in blue and white. He remembered the silence after the 2012 final loss to Chelsea; now, the roar of the crowd felt different—like a promise kept. When the whistle blew for extra time, the stadium seemed to hold its breath. Robben took the ball on the right, cut inside, and fired. The net rippled, and in that split second, history was rewritten. A roar erupted from the Munich contingent, a sound of pure relief that silenced the doubters forever.

Reader's Guide

The match was played at Wembley Stadium, which hosted the 2011 final and made history as the first stadium to host the final twice in three years. The referee was Italian Nicola Rizzoli. The match ball was the Adidas Finale Wembley. Tickets were allocated by lottery; each finalist club received 25,000 tickets.

Did You Know?

• A viewership of 21.6 million on German ZDF and over 360 million worldwide was reported, making it the most watched sports broadcast of 2013.
• Bayern qualified for the 2013 UEFA Super Cup against Chelsea and the semi-finals of the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup; they went on to win both competitions.
• The opening ceremony was directed by Hamish Jenkinson and Jonny Grant, who had previously directed the 2011 opening ceremony.