Uli HoeneĂ criticized the buy-to-sell model of Bundesliga clubs, emphasizing Bayern Munich's focus on retaining players. He believes that this approach is key to long-term success in football.
Key points
Uli HoeneĂ criticized the buy-to-sell model of Bundesliga clubs.
Bayern Munich won their second consecutive Bundesliga title.
The club has 13 titles in the last 14 seasons.
HoeneĂ believes retaining players is crucial for long-term success.
He transformed Bayern from debt to a financial powerhouse.
Mentioned in this story
Uli HoeneĂToni KroosDavid Alaba
Bayern MunichVfB StuttgartChelsea FCReal Madrid
26 March 2026, North Rhine-Westphalia, MĂŒnster: Uli HoeneĂ, Honorary President of FC Bayern Munich, sits on stage at the Data and AI Festival. Photo: Bernd Thissen/dpa (Photo by Bernd Thissen/picture alliance via Getty Images)
26 March 2026, North Rhine-Westphalia, MĂŒnster: Uli HoeneĂ, Honorary President of FC Bayern Munich, sits on stage at the Data and AI Festival. Photo: Bernd Thissen/dpa (Photo by Bernd Thissen/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Bayern Munich recently sealed the 2025/26 Bundesliga title with a 4-2 victory over VfB Stuttgart, not only winning their second league title in a row but also securing a record of 13 Bundesliga title wins in 14 seasons. Given Vincent Kompanyâs side also broke many long standing records over the course of the season, Bundesliga fans look at the strength at the Bavarians and despair at the many years of dominance that they seem set to enjoy.
In a recent interview with Bayernâs honorary president and supervisory board member Uli HoeneĂ, German news site *Frankfurter Allgemeine* discussed this total domination of the league. The interviewer suggested it was a problem for both the Bundesliga and Bayern, but HoeneĂ staunchly disagreed.
âFor Bayern Munich, absolutely not, but for the league, yes. The day will come again when we falter, but then the others will have to be there too,â the three-time European Cup winner said, as captured by @iMiaSanMia, before moving on to why he thinks other Bundesliga clubs fail to challenge at the very top. âMany clubs are very proud when theyâve made a great sale. Iâm not a fan of this buying and selling at all. We buy a player for Bayern. And we donât want to be thinking about where weâll sell him to as soon as he signs the contract.â
But that is the business model of many clubsâŠ
âBut if thatâs your business model, you canât be successful in the long run. Weâre way ahead of the others in that respect. In all the years Iâve been here, very rarely has a player left that we desperately wanted to keep. Michael Ballack moved to [ in] England, to [ in] Spain. But even then, we were in control. I ran into Toni once and told him: âToni, you can earn 10 million euros with us. But if you want to earn 10 million and one euro, then you have to leave.â â And then he left. The same thing happened with [also to Real Madrid]. Heâs the only player who still calls us on Christmas Eve. But I told him too: âThis is our offer, and if you donât accept it, you have to leave.â â Itâs very important to be able to say no sometimes.â
It is always easier to say this when Bayern brings in so much money on their own without requiring massive sales. It is also important to remember that HoeneĂ took over as president back in the 1970s when Bayern was in serious debt, though, and still led the club to becoming to becoming the financial powerhouse it is now. Is the financial gap between the elites and non-elites so big that the buy to sell business model is necessary or would a club be able to profit from a tougher approach to keeping their elite players? HoeneĂ certainly believes the latter.
*If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on , , , or any leading podcast distributorâŠ*
Q&A
What did Uli HoeneĂ say about the buy-to-sell model in Bundesliga?
Uli HoeneĂ expressed his disgust at the buy-to-sell model, stating that it hinders long-term success for clubs.
How many Bundesliga titles has Bayern Munich won in recent years?
Bayern Munich has won 13 Bundesliga titles in the last 14 seasons, including their recent victory in the 2025/26 season.
Why does HoeneĂ believe Bayern Munich is successful compared to other clubs?
HoeneĂ attributes Bayern's success to their ability to retain players and not rely on selling them for profit, unlike many other Bundesliga clubs.
What historical context did HoeneĂ provide about Bayern Munich's financial situation?
HoeneĂ noted that he took over as president when Bayern was in serious debt in the 1970s and transformed it into a financial powerhouse.
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