Great honour: DFL honours Bayern boss Hoeneß | OneFootball

A great honor for Uli Hoeneß: The Honorary President of FC Bayern has been awarded the DFL Honorary Prize in Berlin. With this, the German Football League recognizes his outstanding contributions to German professional football.

On the eve of the DFL General Assembly, Hoeneß accepted the award in the capital. The honorary prize was presented by Rainer Bonhof, 1974 World Cup winner and long-time companion. "You have captivated millions and given German football a face," Bonhof explained in his laudation.

The award has been given for years for special achievements in German professional football. Previous winners include legends such as Uwe Seeler, Jupp Heynckes, Lothar Matthäus, Otto Rehhagel, and Rudi Völler. With Uli Hoeneß, another influential figure now joins this group.

Hoeneß himself was grateful and moved: "I am proud to receive this title. The award is a sign that I have also tried to give something to German football in 50 years. But football has also given me everything."

Bonhof's humorous laudation

In addition to the great successes, Bonhof also recalled legendary episodes from the long career of the 73-year-old in his speech. He referred to Hoeneß's missed penalty in the 1976 European Championship final: "The ball was returned by the ISS crew after years. It is now in Dortmund in the museum and still has wings," Bonhof joked to great laughter.

The scene shows how much Hoeneß is always viewed with humor despite all his successes and merits. As a player, he shaped the German national team, as a manager and patron, he shaped FC Bayern over decades into what it is today: the industry leader in the Bundesliga and one of the largest clubs in the world.

Under his direction, the Munich team developed from a national heavyweight to an international top club. The record champion benefited not only from his strategic foresight but also from his tireless commitment to the club and German football.

A face of German football

The awarding of the honorary prize is another milestone in an extraordinary career. Hoeneß has shaped FC Bayern like no other and at the same time campaigned for the interests of German football for decades.

Whether as a player, manager, or later as president - his voice always carried weight. Not without reason, he is still considered one of the most influential personalities in German football today.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.