Bayern Munich have once again asserted their dominance over German football, clinching the 2025-2026 DFB-Pokal title with a commanding 3-0 win over VfB Stuttgart at the Olympiastadion in Berlin on May 24, 2026. This victory not only marked their return to the top of the German Cup after a six-year hiatus—having last lifted the trophy in the 2019-2020 season—but also completed a remarkable domestic double, with the Bundesliga title already secured earlier this season. The triumph increased Bayern’s record haul of DFB-Pokal trophies to a staggering 21, further cementing their status as the most successful club in the competition’s storied history.
The hero of the night was none other than Harry Kane, whose hat-trick lit up the Berlin sky and left fans in awe. Kane’s clinical finishing and relentless drive proved too much for Stuttgart’s defense, as he found the net in the 55th, 80th, and stoppage time minutes. His performance was a testament to his world-class pedigree and his incredible form throughout the season.
Bayern Munich lined up in a familiar 4-2-3-1 formation under the guidance of manager Vincent Kompany. Jonas Urbig took his place between the posts, with a back line of Konrad Laimer, Dayot Upamecano, Jonathan Tah, and Josip Stanišić providing a solid foundation. The midfield duo of Joshua Kimmich and Aleksandar Pavlović anchored the center, while the attacking trio of Jamal Musiala, Luis Díaz, and Michael Olise supported Kane up front.
The first half was a tense affair, with both teams trading blows in a tightly contested midfield battle. Stuttgart, the defending champions, pushed hard with aggressive pressing and physical challenges, hoping to unsettle Bayern’s rhythm. Yet, it was Bayern’s young goalkeeper, Jonas Urbig, who kept the score level with a series of crucial saves, denying Stuttgart any early momentum. Despite Bayern’s superior possession—64.4% to Stuttgart’s 35.6%—the teams went into the break deadlocked at 0-0, each side showing flashes of brilliance but unable to break through.
The deadlock was finally shattered ten minutes into the second half. After a quick exchange in midfield, Michael Olise whipped in a pinpoint cross from the right flank. Kane, ever the predator, darted into the box and launched himself into a diving header, guiding the ball past Stuttgart’s keeper Alexander Nübel. The Olympiastadion erupted as Bayern took a deserved 1-0 lead, with Kane’s goal serving as a turning point in the contest.
Bayern pressed their advantage, with Kane nearly doubling his tally when a fierce shot rattled the crossbar. Stuttgart struggled to regain their composure, and the pressure eventually told. In the 80th minute, Luis Díaz slipped a clever pass into Kane’s path. The English striker, calm and composed, turned inside the box and fired a low right-footed shot into the bottom corner, making it 2-0 and all but sealing the outcome.
Stuttgart’s hopes were finally extinguished in stoppage time. After a handball in the area by a weary Stuttgart defender, the referee pointed to the spot. Kane stepped up and, with his trademark coolness, slotted the penalty home to complete his hat-trick. The final whistle soon followed, confirming Bayern’s emphatic 3-0 triumph.
Kane’s hat-trick brought his season total to a jaw-dropping 61 goals across all competitions—36 in the Bundesliga, 10 in the DFB-Pokal, 1 in the German Supercup, and 14 in the UEFA Champions League. This remarkable feat set a new personal record for the prolific forward and underscored his importance to Bayern’s double-winning campaign. According to multiple reports, “Kane finished the 2025-2026 season with 61 official goals: 36 in Bundesliga, 10 in DFB-Pokal, 1 in German Supercup, and 14 in UEFA Champions League, setting his personal single-season record.”
While Kane’s heroics rightly grabbed the headlines, the contributions of other squad members should not be overlooked. South Korean defender Kim Min-jae, though an unused substitute in the final, played a significant role in Bayern’s successful season. He made 37 official appearances across all competitions, scoring once and providing an assist, and featured in three of Bayern’s six DFB-Pokal matches. This latest triumph brought Kim his fourth trophy since joining the Bavarian giants, and his second of the season. As noted in the reports, “Kim Min-jae participated in 3 out of 6 DFB-Pokal matches this season and earned his fourth trophy with Bayern Munich.”
Kim’s season may have ended on the bench, but his journey is far from over. He is set to join the South Korean national team’s pre-World Cup camp in Salt Lake City, USA, as preparations ramp up for the 2026 World Cup in North America. His experience with Bayern will no doubt be invaluable as he aims to help his country on the world stage.
Bayern’s path to the double was marked by consistent excellence and a knack for rising to the occasion in big matches. Notably, they secured the Bundesliga title by defeating Stuttgart in the 30th round, and then repeated the feat in the DFB-Pokal final, underscoring their supremacy over domestic rivals. Their attacking prowess was evident throughout the cup run, with Kane scoring in all six DFB-Pokal matches and amassing a total of 10 goals in the competition—a streak that will surely be remembered for years to come.
Stuttgart, for their part, put up a valiant fight, especially in the first half, but were ultimately outclassed by a Bayern side firing on all cylinders. The defeat marked the end of their reign as cup holders, but their spirited display in the opening 45 minutes suggested they may yet return to challenge for honors in seasons to come.
With the curtain now drawn on the 2025-2026 German football season, Bayern Munich stand tall as double winners, their trophy cabinet a little heavier and their legacy further burnished. For Kane, Kim, and their teammates, the celebrations will be sweet—and for their rivals, the challenge has never been clearer.