Though the match between Bayern Munich and Mohun Bagan was one-sided, Oliver Kahn thanked the spectators for making it one of the most memorable moments in his life. Amitabha Das Sharma reports.
Indian football stepped out of its humble habitat to bask in global spotlight for a short while. The sub-continent, more specifically Kolkata, was the focus of the world for nearly a couple of hours on May 27 when Oliver Kahn played his last professional match. The German goalkeeper had preferred to sign off in the presence of a big crowd and the giant Salt Lake Stadium proved to be the right venue as an estimated 1,20,000 spectators came to witness one of the most celebra ted footballers of the modern era join the legion of legends.
Kahn was leading one of the most successful European clubs, Bayern Munich, which made Kolkata the last halt of its Asia tour. The German team’s three-day visit — beginning May 25 — brought together the city’s football fraternity. Mohun Bagan, as the oldest football club in the continent, qualified to meet the famed Bavarians in the friendly match.
The evening of the encounter brought back memories when a number of stars, including the legendary Pele, came to the city to participate in different tournaments. However, it was for the first time after Pele, who toured with the New York Cosmos in 1977, that a star of great international standing was visiting the city solely for playing in a match.
Bengal Peerless, a real estate firm from Kolkata, contributed largely to the success of Bayern Munich’s trip. The firm handled the multi-crore budget needed to fund the hospitality and appearance money of the team.
Initially, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) questioned the validity of the friendly match as Bengal Peerless, before inking the deal with the club in Munich, had not sought permission from the ruling body. However, the AIFF, following the initiative of its president Priyaranjan Dasmunshi, relented and officially approved the match for a fee of Rs. 1 lakh.
Kahn, whose retirement from professional football was the most important point in the itinerary, stole the show at a state-funded ‘para’ (locality) football, organised by the Kolkata Police, where he read out his lines in Bengali while declaring the tournament open.
Community development initiatives figured prominently in Bayern Munich’s programme and the players and officials spent the greater part of the time before the match in different developmental activities.
Uli Hoeness, the deputy chairman of Bayern Munich’s board of directors, spoke of his team’s unparalleled collection of titles, including the European Championship and the European Cup. He then led a team of Bayern officials to Bardhaman where the West Bengal government pledged land for a possible academy managed by the German club.
Hoeness was also accompanied by his former national team-mate Ottmar Hitzfeld, who is one of the most successful coaches of Bayern Munich. Hitzfeld guided Bayern to the UEFA Champions’ League title in 2001, beating the Spanish club Valencia.
Hitzfeld, who is leaving Bayern Munich to coach Switzerland’s national team, supervised a football clinic for the kids. At the end of the clinic, six kids were selected to attend a training camp, sponsored by Bayern Munich, in Germany.
Later, in the 55th minute of the match between Bayern Munich and Mohun Bagan, Kahn passed into football’s hall of fame. It was an emotional scene as Kahn embraced his successor, Michael Rensig, before walking out to a rapturous ovation from the galleries.
For the record, Bayern Munich, four-time European club champion, toyed with Mohun Bagan, which conceded three goals without reply.
Though the match was one-sided, Kahn thanked the spectators for making it “one of the most memorable moments in my life.”
Mohun Bagan, playing without its striking duo of Baichung Bhutia and Jose Barreto, could not show a good deal of its attacking prowess. However, Hitzfeld had some encouraging words for the Kolkata club. “They impressed with their technical ability and tactical sense,” he said after the match.
For Bayern Munich, Zan Schlaudraff scored twice while the team’s Brazilian midfielder Ze Roberto struck one off a spectacular free kick.
The bonhomie was marred a bit by Bayern Munich defender Breno, who collected a red card for kicking Bagan substitute Branco Vincent Cardozo, who was also penalised similarly for retaliating.
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