As Bayern Munich arrived at the Allianz Arena to face VfB Stuttgart, they stood just one point away from securing a historic 35th Bundesliga title. True to form, the Bavarians dismantled Stuttgart 4-2, despite resting key players such as Harry Kane, Dayot Upamecano, and Michael Olise. With Bayern on the cusp of another league triumph, few figures are better placed to comment on the ‘record champions’ than Philipp Lahm — the man who captained the club to their famous 2013 treble and led Germany to FIFA World Cup glory in 2014.
Speaking with NDTV in a media roundtable setup by Bundesliga just hours before kick-off, Lahm shared his thoughts on Manuel Neuer, whom he recently dubbed a ‘Grizzly Bear’ following the goalkeeper’s heroics in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid. Lahm also addressed Toni Kroos’ recent criticism regarding Bayern’s struggle to close out high-stakes matches — a vulnerability that was evident during both legs of their European clash with Madrid.
Furthermore, Lahm expanded on his own critiques of the German youth system. He argued that the current coaching philosophy focuses too heavily on developing ‘all-round’ players who can perform various roles, rather than producing the distinct ‘specialists’ that defined previous generations.
Question 1:Â You’ve previously noted that while there are minor signs of age in the Bundesliga, his composure, presence, and focus remain vital for winning titles. As a former teammate, how do you think he has sustained this level of excellence for so long? What sets his approach apart from others at that stage of their career?
Philipp Lahm: The simplest answer is that he possesses immense quality and, crucially, he genuinely enjoys what he does. He makes it look effortless because of that joy in playing. It allows him to continue competing at the highest level, even at 40. You truly need that internal passion to maintain your performance at such an advanced age.
Question 2:Â Toni Kroos previously criticised Bayern for allowing opponents back into games-a pattern we saw in the first leg, where a 2-0 lead slipped, and again in the second-leg collapse. Do you agree with Kroos’s assessment, and does this suggest that Bayern currently lacks the ‘killer instinct’ required to close out high-stakes matches?
Philipp Lahm: Generally speaking, it isn’t that they are consistently failing to create or take chances. We saw it in the first leg: Bayern were leading 2-0, but then they conceded. When Jude Bellingham entered the game, Real Madrid found a period where they were able to create significant pressure.
Against a side of that calibre, it is almost impossible to prevent them from creating any chances at all. However, Bayern missed the definitive opportunity to make it 3-1 or 4-1. In those two games, they simply failed to close the door. It’s not that they aren’t ‘handling’ their chances, it’s just that they didn’t take the ones that would have ended the contest.
Question 3: You have written about the Bundesliga’s struggle to produce true specialists, noting a trend towards versatile players who perhaps haven’t mastered a single role. To what extent is this lack of specialised profiles, such as traditional ‘box strikers’ or pure defenders, responsible for the German national team’s difficult run in recent years?
Philipp Lahm: There is a prevailing perception now that every player needs to be able to do everything on the pitch. Consequently, we are lacking players who are truly specialised in their respective roles, for instance, a clinical box striker or a defender who is purely focused on the art of defending.
We are missing that specific profile at the moment. While we still have world-class talent, there is a clear need to refocus on developing specialists. Moving back toward that type of player development would likely be very beneficial for the national team’s success.
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