The “curse” is finally broken for Harry Kane. The 31-year-old striker can now celebrate his first-ever career title after Bayern Munich secured the Bundesliga championship with some help from Freiburg on Sunday. Freiburg played out a 2-2 draw with second-placed Bayer Leverkusen, ensuring Bayern’s eight-point lead with two rounds of the season remaining, making it impossible for Leverkusen to catch up.
Kane, who had never won a title despite being one of the world’s best forwards, had experienced several runner-up finishes and defeats in finals with both Bayern, Tottenham, and England. This led some to refer to the lack of titles as a “curse” on the striker.
After Kane joined Bayern as the club’s record signing in 2023, the team experienced its first trophyless season since 2012. The forward thought he would be celebrating on Saturday when Bayern looked set to win 3-2 against Leipzig. However, Leipzig’s Yussuf Poulsen equalized in the dying moments, forcing a 3-3 draw and delaying Bayern’s title celebrations. “Next week, Harry!” wrote teammate Thomas Müller on Instagram.
But Kane didn’t have to wait long. In Freiburg, Leverkusen lacked conviction, knowing they had already secured second place and had only a slim chance of retaining their title due to Bayern’s superior goal difference. Freiburg took control with a first-half goal from Maximilian Eggestein and an own goal from Piero Hincapie after the break. Florian Wirtz pulled one back for Leverkusen in the 82nd minute, and Jonathan Tah scored a late equalizer in stoppage time, but it wasn’t enough to stop Bayern from claiming the title.
In a Munich restaurant, Kane and his teammates celebrated, singing “We are the champions” as they were doused with beer and champagne. This marks Bayern’s 34th German championship, extending their record, with their first win dating back to 1932. Every other title came after the formation of the Bundesliga in 1963.
Bayern will officially receive the trophy after their home game against Borussia Mönchengladbach next weekend, where Müller will be honored with a likely emotional send-off after 25 years at the club.
Meanwhile, the battle for Champions League spots intensifies. Freiburg’s draw against Leverkusen left them in fourth place, holding a one-point lead over Borussia Dortmund and two over Leipzig. Eintracht Frankfurt, in third place, managed a 1-1 draw against Mainz, staying four points ahead of Freiburg.
Only the top four teams qualify for the Champions League, with Freiburg holding onto that final spot for now. In the relegation fight, Holstein Kiel boosted their chances of staying up with a 3-1 win over Augsburg, moving one point behind Heidenheim, who are in the relegation playoff place. Kiel’s next matches are against Freiburg and Dortmund.
