From Der Klassiker with lessons for Kampala

MUNICH, GERMANY. To truly understand the rhythm of the drum, one must stand near the drummer.

That proverb came alive - louder and more urgent than ever - as I stood in the roaring cauldron of the Allianz Arena-Munich, engulfed in the electric atmosphere of Der Klassiker, Germany’s most storied football rivalry between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.

This wasn’t just a match - it was an immersion, a cultural baptism in boots and jerseys.

Star allure

Perched mere inches from global luminaries - Harry Kane’s clinical finesse, Julian Brandt’s creativity, Serhou Guirassy’s resilience, Thomas Müller’s veteran grace, and gifted playmaker Michael Oliseh bringing his French flair to Europe’s grandest stage - I realised I wasn’t just covering a game. 

I was witnessing a sacred rite of passion, unity, and national pride. 

The Bundesliga’s motto, “Football as it must be played,” suddenly felt less like marketing jargon and more like scripture.

From the lively pulse of Munich’s Marienplatz — where Bayern’s triumphs are toasted amid medieval charm — to bustling marketplaces brimming with history, tourists, and die-hard fans, Der Klassiker unfolded like a cultural festival masquerading as a football match.

The streets shimmered with colour and song, and within the stadium walls, even rivals found rare harmony in the shared joy of spectacle. 

As Bayern held their ground in the title race — staying six points clear after Leverkusen’s earlier slip-up — the roars of celebration were not just for goals, but for the sheer poetry of the beautiful game.

And what, then, can Uganda glean from this thunderous ballet of sport and spirit?

Ugandan lessons

First and foremost, structure. Investment in football must go beyond the pitch — into academies, infrastructure, fan experience, and club heritage. 

In Germany, a club is not just a team; it is an institution, a sanctuary for identity. Football is not entertainment — it is culture. Uganda must let the game breathe that deeply.

But the fire burned hottest when it came time to meet the craftsmen behind the scenes — the players, coaches, and footballing minds who make this theatre tick.

One might expect global stars to walk in clouds of ego. Instead, they extended open arms. Among them was Borussia Dortmund legend and club ambassador, Roman Weidenfeller. 

Poised and eloquent, he spoke of the club’s expanding footprint across Africa. Fresh from a recent visit to Ghana, he hinted — with a glint in his eye — that Uganda may soon be in Dortmund’s plans. 

That, in itself, should sound a clarion call to our ex-footballers: the final whistle doesn’t mark the end. 

Beyond playing days lie pathways in coaching, administration, and global ambassadorship. But only for those bold enough to evolve.

Kompany whisper

Then came the calm presence of Bayern Munich’s head coach, Vincent Kompany — the Congolese-Belgian tactician steering Germany’s football juggernaut.

Reflecting on early doubts and the burden of expectations, he declared that only silverware — or overturning a 2-1 deficit to Inter Milan in the Champions League — would suffice. 

His words, steeped in strategic calm, stood in stark contrast to the trigger-happy tendencies of Ugandan football. The hasty dismissal of KCCA’s Abdallah Mubiru is still fresh in memory.

Kompany’s journey was a pointed reminder: building greatness demands patience, process, and belief in vision.

Muller emotional farewell

And then there was Der Klassiker’s beating heart — Thomas Müller. 

A footballing relic in the best sense of the word. The 25-year Bayern Munich stalwart, preparing for a curtain call after a trophy-laden career, remains the embodiment of loyalty. 

Joyful yet resolute, he spoke of “coming home” — not in retirement, but in legacy.

A legacy that endures not just through medals, but through meaning. 

In Uganda, where players often dance between clubs like wandering minstrels, Müller offers a poignant lesson: loyalty breeds legend.

Fans revolution

Even the fans — clad in club colours, chanting with gusto before, during, and long after the final whistle — were a study in unwavering devotion. 

While many Ugandan fans tend to cheer only when the scoreboard favours them, the Germans remind us that true fandom is not results-based; it is a creed, a heartbeat, a daily pledge of allegiance.

As I left the Allianz Arena, the chants still echoing in my ears like anthems in the wind, one thing became crystal clear: Football is not just a game.

It is a mirror to our identity, a bridge between our past and our dreams. Uganda must wake up to this rhythm — not just to play, but to live the game.

To build it from the grassroots, nurture it with patience, celebrate it with loyalty, and let it unite us — as it did that unforgettable night in Munich.

Timely Media-Fufa remedy

This entire experience was made possible through a timely opportunity — courtesy of StarTimes, whose sponsorship of a Bundesliga media tour couldn’t have come at a more poignant moment.

On the heels of a bubbling standoff between Uganda’s football federation, Fufa, and the media — with accusations flying over “free accreditation” and alleged hostility towards journalists — the contrast with Germany was as clear as day. 

My visit to FC Augsburg on Friday, followed by a thrilling encounter between Eintracht Frankfurt and Heidenheim, offered not just football, but a masterclass in how the game ought to embrace its storytellers.

It is no coincidence that the Bundesliga now sits confidently in third place among global football leagues — just behind the English Premier League and La Liga — not merely for the quality on the pitch, but for the delicate, dignified, and deliberate way it treats the media.

Whether local or foreign, a journalist in Germany is not a nuisance or an afterthought. 

From the moment you approach the stadium gates to the final question in the post-match press conference, the system is designed to honour the craft of reportage. 

Access is structured yet inclusive, communication is swift and respectful, and the working environment is steeped in professionalism.

For those at the helm of Ugandan sport, this should strike a nerve — and spark reflection. 

The media is not the enemy. It is the mirror through which the public sees the soul of the game.

Deny it, and you dim the light on your own progress. Embrace it, and you invite the world to your story.