The Bayern Munich Opus
OPUS, in official collaboration with FC Bayern Munich, is proud to announce the creation of The Bayern Munich Opus during the club’s 125th anniversary celebrations. Celebrating 125 years of football, The Bayern Munich Opus showcases the club’s legendary history on a grand scale through its greatest moments. Written accounts and exclusive interviews with club legends, combined with rare photographs from every era, bring to life a story of resilience, courage and success on football’s greatest stage.
Bayern is the most successful club in German football history and one of the most decorated teams globally, with a record 34 national titles – including eleven consecutive championships from 2013 to 2023 – and a record 20 national cups, alongside numerous European triumphs.
From its founding in 1900 by eleven members of the Munich Gymnastics Club to its present-day dominance, the Bayern story is one of desire and passion. Today, the team is among Europe’s most feared, having overcome political, financial and tactical challenges. The club has weathered many storms and remains firmly positioned among the world’s elite.
After early success, Bayern joined the newly founded “Kreisliga” – the first regional Bavarian league – in 1910, winning it in its inaugural year. However, the club would not win it again before the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, which soon brought all footballing activity in Germany to a halt. By 1920, Bayern had more than 700 members, making it Munich’s largest football club.
The 1960s and 70s marked a golden era for the club. Finishing third in their debut Bundesliga season, Bayern went on to win the European Cup Winners’ Cup against Glasgow Rangers. Under Branko Zebec, who replaced the team’s offensive style with a more disciplined approach, Bayern achieved the first league and cup double in Bundesliga history in 1969.
The Bayern Munich Opus will commemorate 125 years of “Greatest Moments”, retold through exclusive interviews with Bayern icons such as Uli Hoeneß, Thomas Müller and Harry Kane. Legendary figures like Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Müller will be honoured through digitally enhanced archival photography. Historic milestones – such as the the move to the Allianz Arena in 2005, the historic 2019/20 treble season that culminated in a 1-0 Champions League victory over Paris Saint-Germain behind closed doors in Lisbon, and this season’s Bundesliga title win – will be presented in ultra-high-definition across the Opus’s large format pages.
The Opus tells the story of FC Bayern Munich on an epic scale. The Marquee Edition, limited to just 125 special copies, features a bespoke signature page hand-signed by Bayern legends and measures 45cm x 45cm. The 700+ pages are printed on luxury 200gsm silk paper and hand-bound in the finest leather by master binders. Housed in a hand-crafted presentation case, the Opus weighs over 32kg.
Two additional formats will be released in various sizes, including an unlimited ‘fan edition’ to ensure every Bayern Munich supporter around the world has the opportunity to own a treasured copy.
The Bayern Munich Opus will be available in both English and German. Further details regarding all editions, including pricing and delivery dates, will be announced in the coming months.
Karl Fowler, OPUS CEO, said:
“We are incredibly excited to partner with Bayern Munich to bring their rich and amazing history to life in a very special, large-format Opus. We understand how much Bayern Munich means to its fans across the globe – not just as a football club, but as an institution. Creating this Opus comes with great responsibility, and it’s an honour we embrace fully. Our goal is to make every Bayern Munich fan proud to see and own this tribute to their club’s incredible journey.”
