Harry Kane scored a hat-trick as Bayern Munich defeated defending champions VfB Stuttgart 3-0 to win the German Cup (DFB Pokal) for the 21st time on Saturday. The victory completed a domestic double for the Bundesliga champions and ended a six-year trophy drought in the competition.
The England captain's three goals brought his seasonal total to 61 across all competitions. It also marked Bayern's 14th league-and-cup double, a feat no other German club has achieved more than once.
"Going into this final, I felt like it was my responsibility," Kane told journalists. "To score a hat trick in a final is such a special feeling. These are memories I'll remember forever."
Kane opened the scoring in the 55th minute, meeting Michael Olise's precise low cross with a diving header. He added his second in the 80th minute, collecting a pass from Luis Diaz, spinning sharply, and driving a low shot into the bottom corner. After Angelo Stiller handled the ball in stoppage time, Kane confidently converted the penalty to complete his treble.
During the second half, fans from both sides staged protests against the German Football Federation (DFB), complaining about high ticket prices and strict rules on fan behavior. Pyrotechnics created thick smoke that forced two brief interruptions. Supporters also protested against proposed DFB and government plans for stricter surveillance at matches, including personalized ticketing and facial recognition technology.
Stuttgart controlled much of the first half, with Maximilian Mittelstädt and Chris Führich looking dangerous. Jonas Urbig, replacing the injured Manuel Neuer in goal, made a strong save to deny Mittelstädt. Bayern improved after the break and made Stuttgart pay for failing to convert their first-half opportunities.
The result underlined Bayern's dominance, having already beaten Stuttgart three times this season. Stuttgart came into the match as defending champions — having defeated Arminia Bielefeld 4–2 in the 2025 final — but were unable to retain the trophy.
After the final whistle, Bayern players ran to their fans in the east stand before celebrating under golden confetti as they lifted the trophy. "The second half was much better. We were much more effective," captain Joshua Kimmich told public broadcaster ARD.
Source: www.dw.com