Bayern Munich Beat Stuttgart 3-0 in DFB Cup Final as Harry Kane Hat-Trick Ends Six-Year Wait

Manager Vincent Kompany, who postponed a season review ahead of the final, had stressed the trophy's importance. "Wir haben noch dieses ganz wichtige Pokalfinale, das für uns noch eine ganz große Rolle spielt," Kompany said before the match, underlining Bayern's determination to end the drought.

Bayern's last DFB-Pokal win came in 2020 under Hansi Flick, during the coronavirus pandemic, when they completed a historic treble. Since then, the club had been absent from the final entirely, making Saturday's appearance their first in six years.

Bayern End Six-Year Wait for DFB-Pokal Glory

Konrad Laimer, who joined Bayern from Leipzig, had lifted the trophy in 2022 and 2023 with his former club, but this was his first cup success in a Bayern shirt. His experience added poise to the midfield as Bayern controlled the tempo.

The hat-trick hero had a well-documented history of final defeats: Champions League 2019 with Tottenham, the English League Cup in 2015 and 2021, and the European Championship finals with England in 2020 and 2024. Saturday's performance was a personal redemption.

Kane Overcomes Finals Jinx with Commanding Hat-Trick

Before his second goal, Kane struck the frame of the goal with a stinging shot, underlining his constant threat. The 61st goal of his remarkable season came against a Stuttgart side that had struggled to contain him.

Stuttgart, the title holders, had eliminated Europa League finalists Freiburg in the semi‑final after extra time, but they failed to carry that momentum into the final weekend. The Swabians had also let a 2-0 half‑time lead slip to draw 2-2 at Eintracht Frankfurt only a week earlier.

In the direct match-up between the clubs this season, Bayern had been utterly dominant. They won the Supercup 2-1 in August 2025, then crushed Stuttgart 5-0 in the Bundesliga at home, and secured a 4-2 victory in April to clinch the league title. Across the last five meetings, the aggregate score stood at 18-4 in Bayern's favour.

Stuttgart's Title Defence Crumbles Against Dominant Bayern

Stuttgart's only win over Bayern in their previous 15 encounters came on the final day of the 2023–24 league season, a 3-1 result that proved a rare bright spot in a one-sided rivalry.

Despite the final outcome, the mutual respect between the coaches was evident. Kompany praised Sebastian Hoeneß, the Stuttgart manager who is the nephew of Bayern legend Uli Hoeneß. "Es ist ganz interessant, was er gemacht und geleistet hat mit Stuttgart in den letzten Jahren. Die Vision von seinem Fußball stimmt überein mit den Jungs, die er im Kader zur Verfügung hat," Kompany said.

Hoeneß, who took over Stuttgart in April 2023 when they sat bottom of the Bundesliga, oversaw a remarkable turnaround: avoiding relegation via the play-offs, finishing runners-up in 2024, winning the cup in 2025, and qualifying for the Champions League in 2026. He returned the compliment: "Er macht einen überragenden Job," he said of Kompany.

Kompany vs. Hoeneß: A Duel of Mutual Respect

Yet the head-to-head record between the two coaches now reads 5-0 in Kompany's favour, a stark reflection of the gulf in resources and form.

Bayern's attacking firepower this season was staggering. The team scored 122 goals in 34 Bundesliga matches, an average of 3.6 per game, and produced a 5-4 thriller against Paris Saint‑Germain in the Champions League semi-final first leg – a match already hailed as an epic football night.

The cup final also carried historical weight for the Bavarians: it was their 14th triumph in the competition, moving them further clear of nearest rivals Werder Bremen (six wins). The wait since 2020 had felt unusually long for a club of Bayern's stature.

Bayern's Record-Breaking Season in Numbers

Stuttgart had their own proud cup story, reaching the final for the eighth time, but they had lost to Bayern in the finals of 1986 and 2013. The Swabians' hopes of a successful defence evaporated as Bayern's intensity never let up.

Team news added a sub-plot. Bayern made four changes from the Bundesliga finale; goalkeeper Manuel Neuer missed out with muscular problems, handing Jonas Urbig a rare start in goal. The youngster performed reliably, though he was not seriously tested.

Stuttgart's challenge was further compounded by their history against the Munich side. Their solitary win in 15 attempts, back in May 2025, now felt a distant memory.

Line-ups, Absences and a One-Sided Rivalry

The protest by DFB fan organisations over scheduling and ticket allocations – mentioned in pre-match reports – unfolded peacefully in the stands, with both sets of supporters creating an electrifying atmosphere inside the Olympiastadion.

The scoreline ultimately reflected Bayern's superiority, but the match will be remembered for Kane's personal milestone. He becomes the first Englishman to score a hat-trick in a DFB-Pokal final and silenced any remaining doubters about his big-game mentality.

With the domestic double secured, Bayern now look ahead to the Champions League final, while Stuttgart must regroup to defend their cup crown next season. For the record champions, this victory was a powerful statement: the drought is over.