Bayern Munich and VfB Stuttgart meet this Saturday in the Franz Beckenbauer Super Cup, with two forwards at vastly different stages of their careers meeting head on. Harry Kane, 32, England national team sensation and Bayern's most vital player, meets Nick Woltemade, 23, Stuttgart's rising star and one of the Bundesliga's hottestly debated names. It's the first edition of the tournament, at which stage it takes place in the MHP Arena, and is already symbolic and sporting in value.
Experience meets ambition
Kane joins the team as a tested name in the European soccer game. After departing Tottenham in 2023, he's maintained the same goal-scoring prowess that made him a superstar both in the Premier League and for England, currently sporting the Bayern jersey. He's a center-forward with experienced game reading, persistent presence in the end third, explosive in build-up play, and has the ability to dominate huge games.
Woltemade is on the other journey. At 23, he is in his proving-himself and still-developing stage. He can play as an old-style target forward or even as a false nine, something that will be an option which serves very well for a Stuttgart team on the rise in Germany. Playing against a legend like Kane for him is a way of proving that he is capable of holding his own against the biggest guns in the position.
A statistic brings the two competitors closer together. Both won their first major trophy with their clubs in the 2024/25 season. Kane did his part in helping Bayern affirm domestic dominance. Woltemade was part of a memorable season for Stuttgart, capped off by a trophy that had the club back among Germany's top challengers.
That shared milestone makes the game significant. Kane wants to add to his already long list of successes. Woltemade wishes to show that last season was only the beginning of something new.
The importance of the game
As it is the initial edition, Franz Beckenbauer Super Cup is especially significant. It is a chance to demonstrate superiority at an early stage in the campaign and set the tone for the future. For Bayern, it keeps them as favorites and local behemoths. For Stuttgart, beating a Bayern rival of this stature would be a big signal of ambition and competitiveness.
Kane understands that each title counts on his resume, especially in a year leading to global competitions with the English national team. Woltemade sees the game as an opportunity to raise his profile and gain national team attention from other clubs as well as the German national team.