The World All-Stars won Saturday's Ultimate Champions match which drew a
sizeable crowd to the Olympiastadion and 320,000 online viewers as UEFA
streamed it for the first time.
With
the UEFA Champions League final just hours away, there could hardly have
been a better way to whet fans' appetites than the annual Ultimate
Champions match.
Bathed in the glorious midday sunshine, the
historic Olympiastadion welcomed thousands of fans from the neighbouring
UEFA Champions Festival for the 70-minute encounter between a World
All-Stars side featuring such legends as Cafu, Patrick Vieira and Zico,
and an FC Bayern All-Stars & Friends team including club heroes Paul
Breitner, Zé Roberto and Giovane Elber.
A further 320,000 enjoyed the action online as UEFA streamed the match for the first time via UEFA.com and Youtube. A special atmosphere was completed by the hordes of Bayern fans who came to reminisce, returning the ground to its former glory with some vociferous support.
Fans were treated to Usain
Bolt doing his signature stance after the Jamaican sprinter had got the
game under way and a cool opening goal from Samuel Eto'o, the youngest
player on the pitch. Nonetheless it was clear that the old boys had not
lost their touch. Bayern's Breitner sprayed some rasping passes in
midfield, while former Liverpool FC favourite Steve McManaman linked up
well with 2002 FIFA World Cup-winning captain Cafu on the visitors'
right flank.
"If you're playing a football match, you never want
to lose," said McManaman. "The competitive edge is still there for all
the players, without a shadow of a doubt. It's a beautiful day and I'm
glad so many people turned out. Coming over from the bad climate of
England, the weather certainly helps."
Bayern drew level thanks to
a tidy near-post finish from Roy Makaay, who struck twice in Die
Roten's final Bundesliga appearance at the Olympiastadion – a 6-3
victory against Bavarian rivals 1. FC Nürnberg back in May 2005.
Munich's favourite Brazilian son Elber then headed Wolfgang Dremmler's side in front, before Breitner spurned the opportunity to extend his side's lead as Edwin van der Sar saved his spot-kick.
"It's great to play here with the 'old men'," said Elber. "A great compliment to UEFA for getting all these players together. It's been good for spectators to see Zico, Patrick Vieira, Eto'o and Cafu. The weather is like in Brazil, it's the big final later and Bayern are in it. What more could you wish for?"
A 'home' win perhaps? It wasn't to be as Predrag Mijatović, with a superb volley on the stroke of half-time, and Frank de Boer struck for the men in blue. If any Bayern fans were concerned the outcome might represent a negative omen for the main event against Chelsea FC later on, they were soon cheered up as Elber and Olaf Thon kicked a whole sack of replica Finale mini-balls into the delighted crowd.
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Supporters at the Olympiastadion enjoy the 2012 Ultimate Champions match
Sprinter Usain Bolt (left) meets World All Star Edwin van der Sar
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Usain Bolt poses with the UEFA Champions League trophy
Bayern's Paul Breitner (left) & World All-Star's Zico lead out their side
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Giovane Elber celebrates scoring for Bayern at the Olympiastadion
Handshakes between the teams of footballing greats
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A further 320,000 enjoyed the action online as UEFA streamed the match for the first time via UEFA.com and Youtube. A special atmosphere was completed by the hordes of Bayern fans who came to reminisce, returning the ground to its former glory with some vociferous support.
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Goalscorer Roy Makaay signs autographs at the Olympiastadion
Michael Laudrup (left) of the World All-Stars in action against Olaf Thon
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Michael Tarnat of the Bayern All-Stars shoots at goal during the match
Olaf Thon and Giovane Elber of the Bayern All-Stars kick balls into the crowd
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Bayern's Pierre Littbarski and Jens Lehmann shake hands afterwards
The World All-Stars pose for a group photo before the match
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The Bayern All-Stars line-up for the Ultimate Champions match
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Munich's favourite Brazilian son Elber then headed Wolfgang Dremmler's side in front, before Breitner spurned the opportunity to extend his side's lead as Edwin van der Sar saved his spot-kick.
"It's great to play here with the 'old men'," said Elber. "A great compliment to UEFA for getting all these players together. It's been good for spectators to see Zico, Patrick Vieira, Eto'o and Cafu. The weather is like in Brazil, it's the big final later and Bayern are in it. What more could you wish for?"
A 'home' win perhaps? It wasn't to be as Predrag Mijatović, with a superb volley on the stroke of half-time, and Frank de Boer struck for the men in blue. If any Bayern fans were concerned the outcome might represent a negative omen for the main event against Chelsea FC later on, they were soon cheered up as Elber and Olaf Thon kicked a whole sack of replica Finale mini-balls into the delighted crowd.
