February 2025 BAYERN GAME
MY GOAL IS TO BECOME A LEGEND
HERE TOO
Aleksandar Pavlović mething has developed there over the decades that you don ‘ t find elsewhere in this form . The success story most certainly began with the way FC Bayern established itself very quickly after promotion in 1965 , both domestically and internationally . Back then , it was possible to hold on to this core of young players , many of them from Munich and Bavaria , this group around Franz Beckenbauer , Sepp Maier and Gerd Müller . Then came Uli Hoeneß , Paul Breitner , and we mustn ‘ t forget “ Katsche ” Schwarzenbeck or “ Bulle ” Roth . They all became icons . Something grew back then that is still the foundation of FC Bayern today . AP : And of course , this unconditional striving for success that emerged with this generation is still an essential and driving part of the club ‘ s DNA today . As a player , it ‘ s conveyed to you from day one . In my eyes , the biggest secret of FC Bayern ‘ s success is the huge sense of togetherness , this family atmosphere at the club , together with the fans . You can just feel it , on the pitch as well . We have this “ Mia san mia ” inside us . What does “ Mia san mia “ mean to you ? AP : For me , “ Mia san mia “ means being a family , standing together in good times and bad . That ‘ s what we already live by here in the youth setup , that we always stick together . TM : For me , this “ Mia san mia “ is an archetypal Bavarian expression , and I would explain it as follows : It describes this innate belief in one ‘ s own strength , in a grown togetherness and this deep , inner conviction that you can do anything together . At FC Bayern , this philosophy is certainly a cornerstone of success , established by the generation headed by Franz Beckenbauer , Uli Hoeneß , Gerd Müller and Sepp Maier . You were both always fans of FC Bayern from a young age . What are your memories , what for you are the stories for the ages ? AP : My first great memory is the 2013 treble , I ‘ ll never forget it . I watched it sitting in front of the TV at the age of nine . It ‘ s still also my favourite jersey from the 125 years . But in general , I ‘ ve always followed everything that ‘ s happened at this club , especially on the pitch . When you ‘ re a ball boy in the Allianz Arena , you naturally dream of one day being out there on the pitch . I think the construction of this stadium was an important milestone .
TM : I ‘ m familiar with just about all the milestones , so I ‘ d say : how Bayern beat the “ Sechziger “ ( TSV 1860 München ) to signing Gerd Müller , or how Uli Hoeneß arranged Karl-Heinz Rummenigge ’ s move to Inter Milan – that was an important boost for the finances at the time . The “ Watschn “ ( Beckenbauer being slapped in the face as a 13 year old ) is of course also historic . You can see time and again that what happens in the blink of an eye can have a huge impact . That slap in the face was certainly the decisive blow – in the truest sense of the word ( grins ).
Shortly before the duo get changed again , as Pavlović energetically combs the nostalgic look out of his hair ( he couldn ‘ t really warm to it ), Müller gate-crashes a photo shoot with Leroy Sané . The two stand there together for a moment ; one in the style of the 1900s , the other wearing the latest FCB collection . A meeting of tradition and contemporary design . All in the spirit of FC Bayern .
FC Bayern Magazine 49