🤬 No good players? Hoeneß takes aim at Icon & Baller League

In recent weeks, Uli Hoeneß has repeatedly attracted attention with striking statements. Now, the 73-year-old was a guest on the anniversary edition of the OMR podcast and spoke about FC Bayern, the future of football, and also about new formats such as the Baller League or the Icon League.

Hoeneß had clear words about the small-sided leagues: "I don't think anything of them. That's just fun and games and has nothing to do with real football."

The honorary president of FC Bayern added: "The show is the main focus there."

It is undisputed that entertainment plays a major role in these new formats. But Hoeneß’s next statement caused some head-shaking: "There are no good players there."

He is demonstrably wrong about that. Modern small-sided football has developed enormously and has long since become its own sport—with highly specialized players. In the German small-sided leagues, the best available players in the country take to the field.

And that’s not all: former professionals also regularly play, some of whom struggle with the intensity and pace on the small pitch. Hoeneß would hardly deny the quality of a Toni Kroos or Marcelo.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

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