Every successful team has a good leader, and Germany in 2014 was no exception. This entry looks at one of the best ever captains in Germany (and Bayern Munich) history, the legendary Philipp Lahm. At the time of writing, Lahm remains the only man in football history to captain his country to a World Cup and his club to a treble.
Philipp Lahm’s role in 2014
As captain, Lahm naturally started every single game, and played every single available minute. His role changed as the tournament progressed, though. In the group stages
and the round of 16, Lahm played in defensive midfield, as he had shown quite the prowess in the position at Bayern in the 2013/14 season. However, despite favorable results, it quickly became clear that Germany’s back line wasn’t exactly what it needed to be without Lahm on the right side.
So that’s exactly where he ended back up from the quarterfinals, and his presence was immensely felt in the semifinal against Brazil, when he completely dismantled Brazil’s left flank and delivered two assists. He also delivered a pinpoint tackle against Marcelo that could have led to an early penalty if executed poorly, yet he literally did not put a foot wrong. Lahm also led Germany to a clean sheet in the opening game against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal, and against Lionel Messi’s Argentina in the final.
While his role wasn’t perhaps as noticeable as some other players, as is the role of a full back/defensive midfielder, he did have a few eyebrow-raising moments. In the opening game, he formed a one-man wall against a Ronaldo free kick (which he somehow actually blocked). After the final, he immortalized himself by lifting the trophy…but he did it in a rather subdued manner. Classic Lahm.
What is Philipp Lahm doing now?
The World Cup final was Lahm’s final appearance for the national team, so he went out on the highest peak imaginable. However, his Bayern career was not over. He captained Bayern for three more years, leading them to more Bundesliga titles, a Pokal win, and a Supercup win before hanging his boots up in 2017. He was inducted into Bayern’s Hall of Fame as well. This writer was privileged enough to watch his farewell match at the Allianz Arena.
After retiring, Lahm has been dabbling in various fields both in and out of football. Examples include AirBnB, writing columns, golf tournaments, etc. One of his most notable achievements was his work at EURO 2024, for which he was the tournament director. He oversaw a successful tournament in which hosts Germany reached the quarterfinals. For the tournament before, he took part in the group draw, and put Germany in the group of death along with France, Portugal, and Hungary. Thankfully, Germany were able to escape that group.
Recently, Lahm acted as the “coach” of the Bayern Legends team in the 5-a-side Legends Cup (Beckenbauer Cup in 2025). He won the title in 2025 and finished on the podium in 2026.
If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…
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