This Thursday Karl-Heinz Rummenigge celebrates his 70th birthday. FC Bayern Munich is still connected to the former world -class striker today. Together with Uli Hoeneß, he led the fortunes to the record champion for decades.
A weekend without football? That, says Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, “does not exist for me, either in the stadium or in front of the television.” He is regularly guests at the home games of his FC Bayern in the Munich Arena. Then, as before, he smells of Uli Hoeneß – the man with whom he, as CEO, led the club’s fortunes for decades.
Football shaped for decades
It is especially FC Bayern that shapes Rummenigge sustainably. As an 18-year-old, he came to Munich from Lippstadt in 1974, where he prevailed and has been an integral part of FC Bayern and the national team for many years. Rummenigge celebrates his 70th birthday on Thursday – then the football world looks at the man who won 61 titles in his impressive career.
“The old sacks” Rummenigge and Hoeneß still shape with
Even today, the voice of the former world -class striker has weight, even if Rummenigge said goodbye to the operational business as CEO of FC Bayern in 2021. But as a supervisory board, he still cheerfully mixes with his buddy Hoeneß. “It is often said: ‘The old sacks there’. But these old sacks have not necessarily done everything wrong before,” said Rummenigge in the SID interview.
The “old sack” has not yet seen the time to withdraw to the old part and take care of the six grandchildren. “We said: As soon as we have the feeling that FC Bayern is well organized and everything runs 100 percent, as you wish, then we can also imagine going to the stadium as a fan,” said Rummenigge.
One of the best footballers in the world: only the World Cup title is missing
In his active time, “Kalle” Rummenigge is one of the best footballers in the world. He plays 95 A international matches (45 goals) and scores 162 goals in 310 Bundesliga departures (all for FC Bayern). With the Munich team, he became German champion, twice German cup winner, wins the European Cup of the national champions in 1975 and 1976 and the World Cup in 1976.
In 1980 he became a European champion in 1982 and 1986 as captain. The World Cup title is the only one who is missing in the collection. What only a few German kickers managed: in 1980 and 1981 he was named Europe’s footballer of the year.
FC Bayern, Inter, Servette
When moving to Inter Milan in 1984, the second highest transfer fee that was ever paid for a professional will flow – almost eleven million marks. Only Diego Maradona is even more expensive with 24 million marks when he moved from FC Barcelona to SSC Naples in the same year. After less than three seasons without a title with Inter, Rummenigge ends his active career at Servette Geneva. In 1989 he gave up his football shoes at the age of 33.
Career “afterwards”: first co-commentator, then functional
After the end of his active career, Rummenigge is a soccer co-commentator for the ARD. At the end of 1991 he returned to FC Bayern as Vice President. He held this post until 2002 before Rummenigge is appointed to an AG as CEO of the FC Bayern football department in the course of conversion. Only Oliver Kahn replaced him in this position in 2021. In 2008, Rummenigge also took over the function of the first chairman of the European Club Association (ECA), which he performed by September 2017.
Rummenigge polarized
As a football official, Rummenigge is working out a lot of reputation and respect due to his appearance. However, it also polarizes if, for example, he defends the aggressive transfer policy of the association, committed himself as an ECA chairman for the interests of the rich European top clubs or is opposed to media shooters (keyword: “Article 1 Basic Law”).
Together with Uli Hoeneß, with whom he did not always agree, he is considered a maker and architect of the FC Bayern, which was raised to the world club. “Uli and I have experienced everything in this business. We do not want to harm anyone, we just want to make a contribution to the fact that this big club continues to be positive and has success,” says the birthday child. At the end of the day, the saying always applies: “Success must be serious and solidly refinanced.”
FC Bayern organizes great festival
Just no excesses such as in England. There is money “spent in a way that is already crazy. You have to be careful in the clubs so that we do not lose control. We have to moralize football financially. It is important for the clubs to find their own philosophy, “he demands. Like his beloved FC Bayern.
His club will organize a big festival for him on October 17th. “I’m really looking forward to this because my farewell as CEO was not allowed to celebrate during the second Lockdown,” emphasizes Rummenigge: “I always enjoyed the celebrations at Bayern.” With a red wine and a cigar.
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Source: SPORT 28.09.2025 – 9:45 p.m.
