Harry Kane emerged through clouds of smoke and fireworks with a second-half hat-trick as Bayern Munich defeated defending champion VfB Stuttgart 3-0 in the DFB-Pokal Final to seal another domestic double.
Kane’s goals lit up a dramatic final in Berlin that was overshadowed at times by large-scale fan protests against the German Football Association, known as the DFB, over proposed increases in stadium security measures.
The demonstrations intensified immediately after halftime. Bayern supporters unfurled a massive crossed-out DFB logo above a banner containing an expletive directed at the federation, while Stuttgart fans responded with a message demanding “freedom for the terraces.” Both sets of supporters then launched huge pyrotechnic displays that filled the stadium with smoke and severely reduced visibility on the pitch.
Amid the haze, Kane finally broke the deadlock in the 55th minute, diving forward to head home a cross from Michael Olise. The goal triggered another burst of fireworks from Bayern’s end, forcing a temporary stoppage as smoke once again engulfed the field.
Kane nearly doubled the lead moments later with a fierce strike that rattled the crossbar before he eventually made it 2-0 in the 80th minute. Luis Díaz found the England captain in space, and Kane calmly fired into the bottom corner to put the result beyond doubt.
Stuttgart midfielder Angelo Stiller then conceded a late penalty for handball, allowing Kane to complete his hat trick from the spot deep into stoppage time. “He’s incredible,” Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said afterward. “It’s not only his quality but also his personality within the squad. To score this many goals and still remain so grounded is remarkable.”
Kane finished the campaign with 61 goals across all competitions for Bayern, including the Bundesliga, German Cup, Super Cup, and Champions League. His contributions had already helped Bayern secure the Bundesliga title with four matches remaining.
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The triumph marked Bayern’s first appearance in the German Cup final since 2000, when the club defeated Bayer Leverkusen 4-2 to complete its previous domestic double. Stuttgart had entered the match as defending champions after beating Arminia Bielefeld 4-2 in last year’s final.
Once the final whistle sounded, Bayern’s players sprinted toward their supporters at the east end of Berlin’s Olympiastadion Berlin to celebrate ending a six-year wait for another cup triumph.
Stuttgart had actually looked the stronger side during a fiercely contested first half. Maximilian Mittelstädt forced an excellent save from Bayern goalkeeper Jonas Urbig, who was filling in for the injured Manuel Neuer in an otherwise full-strength Bayern lineup.
But Stuttgart’s relentless intensity proved difficult to sustain, while Bayern steadily grew into the game. Once Kane opened the scoring, the outcome rarely looked in doubt. “The second half was much better from us. We became far more clinical,” Joshua Kimmich told broadcaster ARD before Bayern lifted the trophy beneath a shower of golden confetti.
Among the notable figures in attendance was Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann, who had announced his World Cup squad just two days earlier and included 11 Bayern and Stuttgart players. More surprising, however, was the appearance of Portuguese manager José Mourinho.
Mourinho, currently coaching Benfica and widely linked with a return to Real Madrid next season, sparked speculation that he was scouting Bayern winger Olise.
“He can watch Olise with five pairs of eyes—he’s still not getting him,” Bayern honorary president Uli Hoeneß said. Outside the stadium before kickoff, activist Thomas Melchior continued his personal protest against gambling sponsorships in sports. Dressed in a bright Stuttgart jersey and carrying a 30-kilogram weight on his shoulders, he approached supporters holding a sign reading “Sport rather than sports betting.”
Unlike earlier in his campaign, Melchior said fans were now responding with more support than criticism as awareness of his message had grown. “Betting companies are still advertising constantly during football matches,” Melchior said. “People continue becoming addicted every day because of it. That’s exactly what happened to me.”
Melchior, who was sentenced to five and a half years in prison in 2019 for fraud and theft after losing more than 800,000 euros through gambling, said organizations such as FIFA and the DFB were sending the wrong message by promoting betting sponsors.
“It’s moving completely in the wrong direction,” he said. “There should be less advertising, not more. People need to understand that sports betting is dangerous and that, ultimately, it also damages sport itself.”
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