Kane's hat-trick brought Bayern the Cup and confirmed a domestic double
Bayern Munich won the DFB-Pokal after defeating VfB Stuttgart 3:0 in the final at Berlin's Olympiastadion, thus concluding the season with a domestic double. According to the official match report of the German Football Association, the final was played on May 23, 2026 at 8 p.m. in front of 74,036 spectators, and Harry Kane scored all three goals. After a goalless first half, the English striker broke the match open after the restart and brought Bayern its 21st title as winner of the German Cup. Stuttgart, according to official DFB data, entered the final as the defending champion, but failed to repeat last season's success. The final 3:0 confirmed a difference that was not visible on the scoreboard in the first half, but in the second half turned into complete control by the Munich side.
The final carried additional weight because the new-old German champion and the club that had won the DFB-Pokal the previous season met at the same venue. Bayern, according to the DFB announcement, once again confirmed its status as the record winner of the competition, while Stuttgart was left without the chance to defend the trophy. Vincent Kompany's team arrived in Berlin after winning the league title, and victory in the cup gave the season its final seal. Stuttgart kept the match open for a long time, especially in the first half, but did not find enough precision in the final third. When Kane found space and rhythm after the restart, the final began to break sharply toward Bayern.
Goalless first half, Stuttgart kept the balance for a long time
Although the final result points to a convincing Bayern victory, the start of the final was not one-sided. According to the Bundesliga report and the official match data, Stuttgart played aggressively, compactly and bravely enough in the first half to prevent Bayern from scoring an early goal. Sebastian Hoeneß's team entered the match with a clear intention to press the opponent in midfield, slow the flow of the ball toward Kane and force Bayern into longer attacks without a direct threat. Such an approach brought balance and left the impression that the final could develop into a tactically demanding match in which the first goal would be of decisive importance. The teams went into the break without goals, which gave Stuttgart realistic hope that it could withstand the pressure and look for its chance after the restart.
Bayern had more individual quality in the first 45 minutes, but not a sufficiently clear situation to break through Stuttgart's block. Jamal Musiala, Michael Olise and Luis Díaz tried to speed up play between the lines, while Joshua Kimmich kept the rhythm in midfield. Stuttgart relied on discipline, work rate and quick outlet options through Chris Führich, Jamie Leweling and Deniz Undav. According to the official match report, Führich received a yellow card in the 54th minute, which foreshadowed increasing tension after the restart. It was precisely in that phase that Bayern began to reach more and more often the zone from which Kane could decide the match.
Kane opened the final and launched the decisive surge
The first goal came in the 55th minute, only a few moments after the match had entered a period of growing Bayern pressure. According to the official DFB match report, Kane then scored for 1:0 and broke Stuttgart's resistance. German and international reports state that the English striker became the central figure of the match in the second half, confirming his status as a player who can lead Bayern to trophies even when a match remains closed for a long time. The goal changed the psychological picture of the final: Stuttgart had to push higher, while Bayern received the space it had lacked in the first half. In such circumstances, the difference in finishing quality became decisive.
After taking the lead, Bayern did not immediately close the match, but it assumed significantly greater control. Kompany introduced Lennart Karl for Musiala in the 77th minute, while Stuttgart tried to respond with substitutions in order to restore energy and attacking width. According to the match report, Finn Jeltsch came on for Luca Jaquez, Bilal El Khannouss replaced Führich, and later Nikolas Nartey and Tiago Tomás also entered. Those changes did not alter the main direction of the match. Bayern remained calmer in possession, while Stuttgart found it increasingly difficult to reach situations in which it could seriously test goalkeeper Jonas Urbig.
The second goal broke Stuttgart, the third confirmed Kane's evening
Kane scored in the 80th minute for 2:0 and thereby practically directed the trophy toward Munich. According to official DFB data, the goal came after a period in which Stuttgart was trying to stay in touch, but Bayern was increasingly making better use of the space between the opponent's defence and midfield line. The second goal was important not only in terms of the score but also symbolically: Stuttgart could still believe in a comeback until then, but after 2:0 it had to take more risks than its playing structure allowed. Jeff Chabot received a yellow card in the 82nd minute, and the closing stages brought increasingly pronounced Bayern authority. Kompany further refreshed the team in the final minutes, introducing Leon Goretzka, Hiroki Ito, Raphaël Guerreiro and Tom Bischof.
Kane set the final 3:0 from the penalty spot in the second minute of stoppage time. He thereby completed a hat-trick and one of the most important evenings of his career in a Bayern shirt. According to post-match reports, Kane described the final as one of the greatest nights of his career, while sporting director Max Eberl highlighted the team's resilience and attacking quality in the second half. For Bayern, that goal was confirmation of dominance in the closing stages, and for Stuttgart the definitive end of the hope that it could once again spring a surprise in the cup. Although Stuttgart left a good impression in the first half, Bayern's efficiency and composure in the key moments were the difference between the finalists.
Bayern back on top of the competition it wins most often
By winning the DFB-Pokal, Bayern reached its 21st trophy in that competition, which, according to the DFB, strengthened its status as the record winner. It is especially significant that the Munich club had been waiting for the cup since 2020, despite its dominance in German football during most of the past decade. The final in Berlin was therefore not just another trophy match, but also the end of a period in which Bayern had not managed to transfer its league strength into the final stages of the national cup. Kompany's team thus rounded off a season in which it had already won the Bundesliga, and the cup served as confirmation of the depth of the squad and the ability to maintain peak form until the very end. In the context of the club season, the domestic double gives Bayern a strong foundation for a new competitive year.
For Kane, the Berlin hat-trick carried additional weight because he arrived at Bayern as a player expected to deliver exactly what he showed in the final: deciding major matches. According to Bayern's data, the English striker had already finished the season as the Bundesliga's top scorer, and the cup final further strengthened his role as the main attacking pillar. In a match in which there was not much space, Kane was patient enough to wait for the right situations and precise enough to turn them into goals. His performance showed why Bayern built its attacking structure around him and why his goals were crucial in the fight for both domestic trophies. A hat-trick in a cup final remains a feat remembered in club seasons regardless of overall statistics.
Stuttgart left without defending the title, but with confirmation of steady progress
Stuttgart lost in the DFB-Pokal for the first time after a longer winning streak in Berlin, and the club's official website emphasized that the team delivered a fighting performance despite the defeat. The club from Baden-Württemberg entered the final as the current cup holder and as a team that had shown continuity, organization and the ability to play major matches in the previous rounds. According to VfB's data ahead of the final, Stuttgart appeared in two consecutive DFB-Pokal finals for the first time in its history. That is an important indicator of the stability of the project under Sebastian Hoeneß, even if the final outcome was not what the club had wished for. The 0:3 defeat therefore does not erase the broader impression that Stuttgart has returned among the relevant German clubs in recent seasons.
In the match itself, Stuttgart could most regret the period before the first goal. While the score was 0:0, the defending champion had enough discipline and intensity to keep Bayern under control. But after Kane's first goal, the plan had to change, and the opening of space suited an opponent with greater individual quality in attack. Stuttgart's finishing was not dangerous enough to bring the match back into uncertainty, and the players coming off the bench did not bring a change in rhythm. Ultimately, the difference in finishing and experience in the most important moments proved decisive.
Berlin once again confirmed the importance of the German Cup final
The DFB-Pokal final is traditionally played in Berlin, and the DFB again highlighted the Olympiastadion as the central venue of the closing stage for this edition. According to the official match report, the stadium was sold out, with more than 74 thousand spectators. The atmosphere was intense, and some international reports also mention a disruption of visibility due to smoke after fan pyrotechnics in the second half. Such scenes once again opened the question of security measures and the association's relationship with fan groups, a topic discussed before and during the final in the German football environment. Still, the sporting part of the evening ultimately remained marked by Kane's hat-trick and Bayern's return to the top of the cup.
For German football, the final offered a dual picture. On one hand, Bayern once again showed how difficult it is to beat when it has enough time and quality to find a solution. On the other hand, Stuttgart confirmed that it is no longer a one-season surprise, but a club capable of reaching the final stages and competing with the strongest teams for at least a large part of the match. Bayern will remember the season for the double crown, Stuttgart for the missed opportunity to defend the title, and the DFB-Pokal for an evening in which Harry Kane decided the final with one half. When the line is drawn, the Berlin encounter did not bring scoreboard drama until the end, but it did bring clear confirmation of the hierarchy at the end of the season.
Sources:
- Deutscher Fußball-Bund / Datencenter – official match report of the final Bayern Munich - VfB Stuttgart 3:0, scorers, line-ups, substitutions, cards, referee, date and attendance (link)
- Deutscher Fußball-Bund – announcement on Bayern's victory in the 83rd DFB-Pokal final and winning of the 21st title (link)
- Bundesliga – live text coverage of the final and context of the first half at the Olympiastadion (link)
- VfB Stuttgart – official information about the final and context of Stuttgart's appearance in two consecutive cup finals (link)
- FC Bayern Munich – data on Harry Kane's season and status as Bundesliga top scorer (link)
- Sportsnet / Associated Press – report on the final, Harry Kane's hat-trick and the atmosphere at the match (link)