German football giants Bayern Munich has elected Herbert Hainer as its new club president in the Annual General Meeting held on Friday.
Hainer was elected after an overwhelming majority of the members voted in favour of him. The 65-year-old replaces Uli Hoeness, who has served as the president from 2009 to 2014 and again since 2016.
Herbert #Hainer is the new President of #FCBayern! #MiaSanMia pic.twitter.com/qT6mzw3MZ3
— FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN) November 15, 2019
Before taking over as the new boss of the world’s largest club, Hainer paid tribute to Hoenes. He said, “I bow down to Uli for his life’s work. What you’ve achieved for this club is simply extraordinary.”
♦️ The biggest club in the world ♦️#MiaSanMia pic.twitter.com/OFrvCSy6zn
— FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN) November 16, 2019
“FC Bayern München is the best club in the world. It is a pleasure and a great honour to be standing before you here today,” Heiner was quoted as saying on the official statement of Bayern Munich.
Hainer has been a long time associate with Bayern Munich and ever since the inception of the club’s AG in 2002 he has been deputy chairman of the supervisory board.
During the official announcement of his presidency, Hainer was seen wearing a jersey of Hoeness as a gesture to honour the world-class footballer.
Hoeness has thus become the sixth honorary president of the club after Franz John, Siegfried Herrmann, Kurt Landuer, Wilhelm Neudecker and Franz Beckenbauer.
What he has achieved is unique. Uli Hoeneß is FC Bayern and FC Bayern is Uli Hoeneß. He led the club in a new dimension. 57 trophies as manager and president. What a successful era! Thank you for all things what you have done for this fantastic club.#ServusUli #FCBayern #DankeUli pic.twitter.com/hugYIyQCwS
— Thomas Müller (@esmuellert_) November 16, 2019
“I’m incredibly glad to be this club’s honorary president, and I’ll do everything to live up to this honour,” said Hoeness during the AGM.
Hoeness is often regarded as the greatest worker for Bayern Munich who has served the club as a footballer, general manager, director and president and in the process turned the club into a global brand.