End of Year Roundup: Best Bayern Munich (and Germany) Goals of 2023 – Bavarian Football Works

2023 was a crazy year for Bayern Munich and the German national team and our old friend TeddySonMaverick dusted off his writing skills and went to town on a round-up of some of year-end superlatives…or unexceptional performance.

You might have seen some of these in our FanPosts section, but we wanted to run them as regular posts as well…

It may have been a topsy-turvy year for Bayern Munich, but that doesn’t mean that it was lacking in spectacular and meaningful goals. The fans were treated to another year of many goals that led to great memories, some of which will forever live on in the club’s history. Ten stood out in particular, and here they are. Without further ado, let’s dive right in.

#10. Frans Krätzig vs Liverpool

• Preseason Singapore Trophy, 2023/24
• Goal Scored: 4-3, FT: 4-3

This is the first ever preseason goal that made the top goals of the year list since I started covering them in 2023. Yes, friendly goals don’t really matter at the end of the day, but this one was quite special. After going two goals down to Liverpool in their final game of the 2023 Asia tour, Bayern had clawed the score back to 3-3. Just as the fourth official put up four minutes of stoppage time, Matthijs de Ligt launched the ball forward and found youngster Frans Krätzig, who didn’t hesitate to launch a sumptuous half-volley from the edge of the area right into the top corner, giving Alisson no chance. It was a goal that would get Krätzig a permanent spot in the first team going into the new season, and also put his name into every Bayern fan’s head. Krätzig was also given the honor of lifting the glorious Singapore Trophy after the game. A trophy is a trophy, even if it’s a preseason trophy.

#9. Mathys Tel vs FC Copenhagen

We move to the only Champions League goal that made the list this year. Bayern were facing FC Copenhagen in their first away trip of the new Champions League season, but found themselves unexpectedly a goal down early in the second half. Thankfully, Jamal Musiala netted a quick equalizer, but things were still tense going into the final ten minutes. Enter Thomas Müller. The veteran got on the end of a headed pass from Harry Kane and found himself in pole position in the Copenhagen area, but was also instantly swarmed by defenders. Müller didn’t panic, though, and patiently waited for an onrushing Mathys Tel before calmly laying it off for the young Frenchman to smash home. A goal prepared through experience and finished off by youth, it was a perfect amalgamation of the past, present, and future of Bayern. It also ended up sealing a very valuable away win against the eventual group runners up.

#8. Harry Kane vs VfL Wolfsburg

• Bundesliga Matchday 16, 2023/24
• Goal Scored: 2-0, FT: 2-1

This entry just so happens to be the last goal Bayern scored in the calendar year. Bayern were visiting Wolfsburg (and old coach Niko Kovač), and were up 1-0 soon enough through a Jamal Musiala header. Harry Kane then doubled the score with one of the better goals he scored since joining Bayern. After receiving a pass from Thomas Müller, Kane curled a wonderful shot into the top corner from around 25 meters, give or take. It was his 21st goal of the Bundesliga season in only 15 games. Although Wolfsburg pulled a goal back later through a long range effort of their own, Bayern held on to win the game and sign off on 2023 with a smile on their face.

#7. Matthijs de Ligt vs SC Freiburg

• Bundesliga Matchday 27, 2022/23
• Goal Scored: 1-0, FT: 1-0

After Thomas Tuchel’s side exited the DFB-Pokal in painful fashion against Freiburg, it just so happened they had to play them again a few days later, this time away from home. Needless to say, there were a lot of questions going into the game. If Bayern couldn’t beat Freiburg at home, how would they fare in enemy territory? Not that well, as it turned out. Bayern were lucky to go into halftime with the scores level, and Freiburg were looking to get a historic second successive win against the record champions. They reckoned without Matthijs de Ligt, though. Shortly after the restart, the Dutchman received the ball in a seemingly harmless position far away from goal, and let loose a fiery shot that curled away from the stunned goalkeeper and into his left hand corner. It was De Ligt’s second long range goal of the season, and it turned out to be the goal that won the game. Bayern thus avenged their Pokal defeat and made sure they stayed in the Bundesliga title race.

#6. Kingsley Coman vs SC Freiburg

• Bundesliga Matchday 7, 2023/24
• Goal Scored: 1-0, FT: 3-0

De Ligt’s strike wasn’t the only goal against Freiburg to make this list. Just about six months later, Bayern faced them at home again, but this time, the game went a lot smoother than the previous two meetings. Part of that was due to a rather unexpected early goal from Kingsley Coman. Mr. Lisbon was on the right flank, close to the touchline, when he whipped a cross into the box. He heavily miscued the cross, though, and the ball ended up ricocheting off the far post and nestling into the opposite corner of the goal. Of course, the goal was entirely unintentional, as Coman himself admitted after the game, but regardless of intention, it was effective. Thomas Müller also got himself a lucky assist by completing a simple pass to Coman just before he did what he did.

#5. Joshua Kimmich vs 1. FC Köln

• Bundesliga Matchday 17, 2022/23
• Goal Scored: 1-1, FT: 1-1

Bayern’s start to 2023 was far from ideal. Yes, a 1-1 draw against Leipzig in the first game of the year wasn’t entirely unexpected, but being a goal down at home to lowly Köln is a different story. Julian Nagelsmann’s side was completely devoid of ideas and seemingly heading for a humiliating defeat. But Joshua Kimmich had other ideas. The interim captain received the ball about 30 meters out and fired a venomous shot in off the bar to send the Allianz Arena into rapture. Bayern definitely didn’t deserve anything out of that game, but Kimmich ensured that the fans would have at least a point to celebrate, and in style, too. As the Bundesliga title was eventually decided on goal difference, it turned out to be an invaluable point in the title race.

#4. Luiz Gustavo vs Borussia Dortmund Legends

• 10 Jahre Triple Anniversary Match
• Goal Scored: 2-0, FT: 2-1

Really, Maverick? A friendly goal in a legends match? Well, dear reader, this was a special enough occasion. Bayern had put together a little event celebrating ten years since the club’s first treble, inviting the likes of Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Dante, Rafinha, Claudio Pizarro, Mario Mandžukić, Manuel Neuer, Thomas Müller, and of course, the legendary Jupp Heynckes. It was a lovely reunion on a lovely day, which was followed by a friendly legends match against Champions League final opponents Dortmund. Bayern went a goal up early on through Pizarro, and eventually sealed the deal shortly before the end with the goal that made this list. Luiz Gustavo smashed a sensational left-footed effort from outside the area straight into the top corner, sparking wild celebrations from his treble-mates and even a surprise guest appearance from his son. The goal was the icing on the cake of a very happy afternoon, and Bayern went on to win the match 2-1, just like they did 10 years ago in London.

#3. Jamal Musiala vs VfL Wolfsburg

• Bundesliga Matchday 19, 2022/23
• Goal Scored: 4-1, FT: 4-2

After three consecutive draws in the Bundesliga, Bayern were desperately searching for their first league win of the year. Things started off surprisingly well against Wolfsburg, with the team scoring thrice in the first half. However, a late first half consolation goal from the hosts and a straight red card for Joshua Kimmich meant that Bayern had to work some magic to see the win out. A bit of magic that Jamal Musiala provided. With about twenty minutes to go, the young starlet started a mazy run deep in midfield. At first, no one took much notice of him, but Musiala then went past two, three, four, five, found himself right in front of the keeper in no time, and finished from close range. It just goes to show just how much talent Musiala has in his boots. We’ll come back to him a bit later…

#2. Harry Kane vs SV Darmstadt 98

• Bundesliga Matchday 9, 2023/24
• Goal Scored: 5-0, FT: 8-0

Bayern’s first home game against Darmstadt in over six years was one for the history books. Some sloppy play from both teams saw three players sent off in the first half, and while Bayern were initially a man down, they were somehow a man up going into halftime. Outnumbering Darmstadt 10 to 9, Bayern took care of business in the second half and racked up a whopping eight goals from four different goalscorers. It was the fifth goal that made the headlines, though. After getting the ball in his own half from (who else?) Thomas Müller, Harry Kane looked up, saw the keeper way off his line, and made a split second decision to try his luck from well over 50 meters. The ball sailed through the air, making a perfect parabola, before landing right in the middle of the empty net. If there ever was a definition for the word ‘golazo,’ this would be it. Let’s just say Manuel Neuer was treated to quite the spectacle on his long awaited comeback.

Bonus: Thomas Müller and Leroy Sané vs France

• International Friendly
• FT: 2-1

Before we get to our top pick, here are two honorable mentions. The only two goals that stood out from a forgettable year for the German national team. Both came in the historic, if a tad inexplicable, home win against France, and both happened to be scored by Bayern players. The first was the result of some surprisingly smooth buildup play, smashed in from close range by none other than our beloved Thomas Müller. The second was a clinical counterattack that Leroy Sané finished off with a cool left-footed shot into the bottom corner. It was probably the only really good memory that Germany had all year, but hey, it’s better than nothing, right?

#1. Jamal Musiala vs 1. FC Köln

• Bundesliga Matchday 34, 2022/23
• Goal Scored: 2-1, FT: 2-1

Things could not get any worse for Bayern going into the final match of the 22/23 season. The Meisterschale was out of their reach, and it would take a miracle of biblical proportions to somehow clinch their eleventh Bundesliga title in a row. But lo and behold, somehow rivals Borussia Dortmund were losing at home to Mainz, while Bayern was a goal up in Cologne. It seemed too good to be true…until things came crashing back to reality after a late penalty for Köln put the title back in Dortmund’s hands.

But then, it happened.

With only a minute left on the clock, Serge Gnabry found Jamal Musiala at the edge of the penalty area, and the young midfielder turned on the spot, looked up, and curled in a precise shot just beyond the keeper’s reach.

A goal in the 89th minute to end Dortmund’s title hopes and bring a coveted trophy back to Munich, it almost mirrored Arjen Robben’s legendary Wembley goal ten years ago. It just so happened that Musiala’s miracle happened just two days after the tenth anniversary of that magical Champions League final.

About ten minutes on from that goal, the Bayern players found themselves running at breakneck speed towards their raucous fans, celebrating the almost unthinkable miracle that had just happened. Title winning goals are always special, so it’s no surprise that this was the cream of the crop this year. Not only was it a well taken goal, not only did it seal Bayern’s eleventh title in a row, but it was also the defining moment of one of the craziest title races in Bundesliga history.