A part of professional football, or professional sports for that matter, is coming up against opponents that are simply better than you and “have your number”.
It is a concept that is not only unavoidable, but also necessary in order to become a better player.
Despite being one of Europe’s power house clubs, dominating German football in the last decade and having some of the world’s best, Bayern Munich’s players have had their fair share of encountering tough opponents.
In an interview with Sky Sport DE, Jamal Musiala, Harry Kane, Joshua Kimmich, Serge Gnabry, Matthys Tel and Aleksandar Pavlović gave some insight on the toughest players they’ve ever faced, and some are surprising (as captured by @iMiaSanMia).
Bayern players on the toughest players they’ve ever faced:
• Jamal Musiala: Sergio Ramos
• Harry Kane: John Terry
• Joshua Kimmich: Álvaro Morata
• Serge Gnabry: Laurent Koscielny
• Mathys Tel: Mats Hummels
• Aleksandar Pavlović: Jude Bellingham
Since the questions were given exclusively to attackers and midfielders, the answers were naturally mostly midfielders and defensive players. It would have been interesting to ask a few Bayern defenders as well to see who some of the toughest attackers they’ve ever faced were.
That being said, let’s address the elephant in the room. Joshua Kimmich picking Álvaro Morata is wild. The Spaniard is by no means a bad player, but the toughest Kimmich has ever faced? Keep in mind, the German national team captain has squared off against the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappé, just to name a few, and yet Morata tops the list.
The rest of the picks make sense, perhaps bar Gnabry choosing Koscielny. While unexpected, Gnabry’s time at Arsenal coincides perfectly with Koscielny’s rise as one of the best Premier League defenders of the time, especially the 2013/14 season.
What do you think of the picks and from a fans perspective, who is the opposing player that has caused you the most pain as a Bayern Munich supporter?
Let us know in the comments below.
