The images from the evening of the 2001 Champions League final in Milan are still vivid in my mind. Before the match, a massive banner hung in the fan curve with the inscription: “Today is a great day to produce history.” It was an exceptionally emotional moment that unleashed enormous motivating power.
Another fan experience that has stayed with me: In February 2004, we played Real Madrid in freezing temperatures in the Champions League round of 16 – and I conceded the goal. Roberto Carlos’ free kick slipped under my hands. Three days later, during the halftime break of the Bundesliga match, I walked towards the locker room and saw a young boy holding up a handwritten banner. It essentially read: “Oli, maintain going, the mistake is forgotten.” These are moments that hardly anyone notices, but they are deeply imprinted on a player.
These examples show that fans in football are much more than just spectators, mere accessories. Fans are the foundation of the game. This applies first and foremost to the sport itself. Fans create competition and rivalry; they deliver football its meaning. Would anyone really take a sport seriously without fans?
Oliver Kahn: Fans are a Key Motivator for Players
For the players, fans are a crucial source of motivation. That was certainly the case for me, especially with regard to the opposing supporters. Fans create pressure. And that pressure can enhance performance. This effect is particularly noticeable in stadiums with a large fan base. Anyone who has ever run onto the Südtribüne in Dortmund knows what that does to a player.
In addition to the fans in the stadium, there is the large group of viewers watching on television. The same applies to them: games without atmosphere in the stands don’t perform. The time of ghost games during the Corona pandemic was difficult not only for the players but also for the audience. Almost a year of games without spectators – that is by far the worst thing I can remember in football. When FC Bayern won the Champions League final in 2020 and the players then walked through an empty stadium with the trophy in their hands, it was almost cruel. Yes, it couldn’t be helped at the time – but I will never forget that ghostly moment.
It’s important to remember when talking about fans that there isn’t just one type of fan. Fans are not a homogeneous group. Many people immediately think of ultras, flags, and jackets when they hear the word “fan.” These are fans too, but they are only part of the whole. There are families who go to the stadium for the shared experience, and casual visitors who see football primarily as entertainment.
there is a growing group of young supporters who no longer find their access through the club, but through individual players and their stories and presence in digital formats. They don’t necessarily feel bound to a club, but follow players, careers, and moments.
Oliver Kahn: Football Clubs Must Endure Tension with Fans
These different groups are sometimes in tension with each other. And that’s not a problem, but a reality. It’s a mistake to try to resolve this tension. Football clubs must endure it. Anyone who tries to treat all fans equally or play them off against each other loses their bearings. From the club’s point of view, this is a huge challenge. Large clubs are highly complex systems with very heterogeneous stakeholder groups. Fans associate very different expectations, perspectives, and ideas with “their” club.
Of course, fans are also consumers. They buy tickets, jerseys, and TV subscriptions. But they don’t behave like classic customers who switch products if they no longer like them. Fans remain loyal, even if things aren’t going well on the sporting front. They persevere in difficult sporting phases. This loyalty is precisely what makes fans so valuable to a club. That’s why I think it’s dangerous to view them solely as a revenue factor. This emotional connection also creates a changed expectation.
Today, fans are no longer just emotional companions or spectators from the outside. In many cases, they have become players in the clubs themselves – with participation, co-determination, and influence. They give football energy, identity, and meaning – but they cannot run it. Leadership means taking emotions seriously without making decisions dependent on them. It is crucial that the cultural and emotional level of a club does not merge with the operational level of the professional department. Because that’s where decisions, even unpopular ones, must be made independently and responsibly.
The 2001 Champions League final, played at the San Siro in Milan on May 23, 2001, saw Bayern Munich defeat Valencia 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw [1]. Oliver Kahn was named Man of the Match [1]. This victory marked Bayern Munich’s fourth European title and their first in a quarter-century [1]. It was also Valencia’s second consecutive defeat in the Champions League final [1]. The match is often referred to as an “all-penalty” final due to the penalties scored and missed during the game, and the eventual penalty shootout [1].
Fans provide the lifeblood of the game, but the responsibility for steering the ship rests with those tasked with leadership – a delicate balance of acknowledging passion while maintaining independent, strategic decision-making.
