Cross the border into Germany from Austria on Bundesstraße 307, an alpine highway, and you will happen upon the tiny town of Rottach-Egern. It’s barely a dot on the Bavarian map, with a population just over 5,000, but like many small German towns it has a soccer team.
On Tuesday, that soccer team happened upon a much bigger town’s soccer team— Munich’s.
Bayern Munich defeated Rottach-Egern 27–0 in a friendly match, taking an 18–0 lead at halftime and never letting up in the intrastate contest.
The win, during which attacking midfielder/winger Jamal Musiala, forward Mathys Tel and midfielder/forward Marcel Sabitzer tallied five goals apiece, drew astonished reactions from around the world.
FT: Rottach-Egern 0-27 FC Bayern 😳
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 18, 2023
No mercy from the Bundesliga champions 🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/WTNUGu8zLU
Some pointed out that it wasn’t first win of its kind for Bayern Munich over Rottach-Egern—the Reds crushed the lower-division side in 2018 and 2019 as well.
Every few years Bayern Munich shows up to beat the living hell out of this 9th division club from a tiny Bavarian mountain town in a friendly. They won 23-0 in 2019 and 20-2 in 2018. The greatest rivalry in sports https://t.co/BtQpzZCxi3
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) July 18, 2023
Predictably, jokes flew. Some questioned whether friendly was the appropriate word for such a blowout.
Is this realy deserving the name "friendly match" pure toture https://t.co/hfAxDASXG8
— Christopher Mutwiri (@Christo77197452) July 18, 2023
Anglophone fans poked fun at Rottach-Egern’s name, inoffensive in German but unfortunate from an English perspective.
The name of the team is Rotten-Egg, what would you expect? https://t.co/DA0Lk9LVCZ
— Dan Amos Sule 🇰🇪🇳🇦🇹🇿🇿🇲🇿🇦🇧🇼 (@sule_dan) July 18, 2023
Many wondered how the game would go over with gamblers.
Guaranteed nervy last 10 minutes at the bet365. https://t.co/pX8sBLJE9Y
— Joe (@J23682) July 18, 2023
Sarcasm was abundant.
The most dangerous lead in football https://t.co/ABf4cymEOQ
— Dan Leydon 🎨 (@danleydon) July 18, 2023
Americans compared the matchup to college football’s powerhouse-versus-cupcake battles.
SEC fans: see, SoCon challenge week is actually sporting https://t.co/fDiOoSsz7N
— An Unserious Person (@Chocotacolate) July 18, 2023
Even former NFL defensive end Chris Long weighed in on the proceedings.
Bayern Munich just beat a team 27-0 and that’s worse than an SEC cupcake beating mathematically. But soccer seems like a chill sport to get blown out in. Bama in 4 minute mode has to be brutal for some poor team. Do they put a max on stoppage time bc I’d outta there at 90.
— chris long (@JOEL9ONE) July 18, 2023
Bayern Munich appears ready for its season, which opens in earnest with the DFL-Supercup against RB Leipzig on Aug. 12. As for Rottach-Egern: there’s no such thing as bad publicity.
