Der Klassiker

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The first match between the two clubs was a 2–0 win for Dortmund in Munich on 16 October 1965. On 5 May 1966, Dortmund won the 1966 European Cup Winners' Cup final against Liverpool in extra time, becoming the first German club to win a European title. Bayern Munich won the same competition the following season. In 1971, Bayern defeated Dortmund 11–1; this remain's Bayern's biggest Bundesliga victory and Dortmund's second worst defeat, after Dortmund's worst defeat of 12–0 v Borussia Mönchengladbach on 29 April 1978. The highest scoring draw in a Bundesliga match between the two teams occurred on 21 May 1983, when Karl-Heinz Rummenigge scored a late equaliser to save Bayern from a defeat against hosts Dortmund, with a final scoreline of 4–4. The rivalry between the clubs grew during the 1990s, as Dortmund's stature increased to challenge perennial title favourites Bayern, winning two Bundesliga titles in 1994–95 and 1995–96. In 1996, Bayern captain Lothar Matthäus accused Germany teammate Andreas Möller of being a 'crybaby', wiping imaginary tears from his face; Möller reacted by slapping Matthäus. At the end of that season, Dortmund won the 1997 UEFA Champions League final which happened to be played at the Olympiastadion, Bayern's home ground. The teams met in the quarter-finals of the next edition of the Champions League, and Dortmund prevailed over two legs thanks to a single goal from Stéphane Chapuisat. That summer, Bayern hired Dortmund's successful coach Ottmar Hitzfeld to work for them. Tempers flared twice during Bayern and Dortmund's second meeting in the 1998–99 Bundesliga, as Bayern goalkeeper Oliver Kahn first attempted a flying kung-fu kick at Chapuisat, and later appeared to bite Heiko Herrlich's ear. In the early 2000s both clubs remained successful, as Bayern lost one Champions League final (1999) then won another (2001) in addition to more domestic success, while Dortmund won the 2001–02 Bundesliga and reached the UEFA Cup final the same year. An angry 2001 league meeting between the pair was notable for ten yellow cards and three red being shown (a Bundesliga record for indiscipline). However, Dortmund soon fell heavily into debt, and a €2m loan from Bayern in 2004 played a small role in saving them from bankruptcy. On 19 April 2008, the two sides clashed in the 2008 DFB-Pokal final for the first time that took place in Berlin. Luca Toni

In Their Own Story

On September 13, 2009, Gus Johnson called an NFL regular-season opening game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Denver Broncos. With waning seconds in the game and Denver trailing 6–7, quarterback Kyle Orton threw a pass to receiver Brandon Marshall near the sideline. The ball was tipped by Bengals defender Leon Hall but landed in the hands of Broncos receiver Brandon Stokley, who ran it in for an improbable 87-yard touchdown. Johnson's call included his signature exuberance: 'Orton... pumps again to the sideline... batted up- OH, CAUGHT! STOKLEY! DOWN THE SIDELINE! CAN HE CATCH HIM!? STOKLEY! WOW!' He later described the play as something he had never seen in football since starting in 1990. This specific moment highlights Johnson's high-energy style but remains strictly within the realm of American football.

Reader's Guide

The rivalry is known as Der Klassiker. Key matches include the 2013 UEFA Champions League final at Wembley, the 2012 DFB-Pokal final, and the 2026 Franz Beckenbauer Supercup. Notable players who have played for both clubs include Mario Götze, Robert Lewandowski, and Mats Hummels.

Did You Know?

• The first match between the clubs was a 2–0 win for Dortmund in Munich on 16 October 1965.
• Dortmund won the 1966 European Cup Winners' Cup final, becoming the first German club to win a European title.
• Bayern's 11–1 win over Dortmund in 1971 remains Bayern's biggest Bundesliga victory.
• The term 'German Clasico' was first used after both clubs eliminated Real Madrid and Barcelona in the 2012–13 UEFA Champions League.
• Bayern loaned Dortmund €2 million in 2004, helping save them from bankruptcy.