Harry Kane creates DFB-Pokal history as Bayern Munich hero hits epic milestone in chaotic final

A remarkable Harry Kane hat-trick inspired Bayern Munich to DFB-Pokal glory over VfB Stuttgart.

The England international bagged all of the Bavarians’ goals as they routed their rivals 3-0 to complete the domestic double – something Kane had never done before – having wrapped up the Bundesliga title earlier in May.

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His trio of strikes also took his season tally to an absurd 61 goals for Bayern across all competitions, underlining his status as one of the world’s best.

Kane: Hat-trick in a final is something ‘I’ll remember forever’

“Knockout games this year have been big,” Kane told Premier Sports after the match.

“I’ve been able to help the team in a lot of situations, they’ve been able to help me.

“Going into this final, I felt it was my responsibility as much as anyone’s to get us over the line. I know I’m going to get chances, and I did again today.

“To score a hat-trick in a final is such a special feeling. It’s just memories that I’ll remember forever.”

Kane got the rout underway in the 55th minute when he found himself unmarked at the back post to meet Michael Olise‘s cross with a powerful header that left Stuttgart gloveman Alexander Nubel with no chance.

His opener marked the first time he’d netted in a major final for club and country, although his goal quickly brought a stoppage in action.

Immediately after the ball hit the back of the net, hundreds of joyous Bayern supporters commemorated Kane’s goal by ripping flares.

Smoke and mirrors

But the volume of flares lit became problematic, as the entire pitch at the Olympiastadion in Berlin was cloaked in smoke, prompting referee Sven Jablonski to pause the game.

Jablonski then consulted with both goalkeepers and captains, assessing their visibility.

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The stoppage ultimately lasted five minutes before Jablonski resumed the action, although the players remained barely visible on the pitch from the broadcast.

Luckily for the players and officials, the smoke soon cleared, allowing the pace of play to ramp back up.

Kane doubled Bayern’s advantage in the 79th minute when he coolly slotted home from inside Stuttgart’s 18-yard box.

The 32-year-old then completed his hat-trick in second-half stoppage time from the penalty spot.

Kane was afforded a spot kick attempt after Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller handled Olise’s cross.

Bayern’s win over Stuttgart was a dream way to sign off on a season that was one game shy of being invincible in domestic action.

Their only blemish in German football this term came against Augsburg in Bundesliga action on January 24, cruelling their aspirations for an unbeaten domestic campaign.

Rewriting the record books

As for Kane, his first goal completed a remarkable run in the DFB-Pokal given he scored in every round of the competition.

He became the third player to accomplish the outstanding feat and the first to do it since Dirk Kurtenbach, who did so in 1987.

Kane’s hat-trick in the final also took his tally in the competition this term to an absurd 10 goals in just six games.

Despite the mind-boggling haul, Kane does not have the record for the most goals scored in a single DFB-Pokal campaign.

That record belongs to legendary German striker Gerd Muller, who netted 11 times in 1976/77.

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However, one record which Kane claimed for himself was the fact his hat-trick in the final was the first perfect one, having scored with his left foot, right foot and head.

It was a feat Uwe Seeler, Roland Wohlfarth and Robert Lewandowski, who have all previously scored hat-tricks in the DFB-Pokal final, did not manage.

No rest for the wicked

With Bayern’s season wrapped up, Kane now switches his attention to England’s World Cup campaign.

The 32-year-old was the least surprising inclusion in Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions squad for the upcoming tournament, where he will look to add to his 78 international goals.

Kane and his England teammates will look to get their World Cup journey off to a winning start on June 17 when they take on Croatia at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The Three Lions then face Ghana at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts on June 23 before rounding out the group stage four days later against Panama in New York.