“Mia San Mia” is synonymous with Bayern’s glittering trophy cabinet, sung with every Bundesliga and Champions League win – but what does it mean?
Barcelona’s “Mes Que Un Club”, Liverpool’s “You’ll Never Walk Alone” – these club mottos have become deeply intwined with their teams, their words and meaning embedded within the club identity.
Bayern Munich are known for their saying “Mia San Mia” – but what do the words signify? Goal takes a look.
What does Mia San Mia mean?
“Mia San Mia” is itself the Bavarian variation of the German phrase “Wir sind wir”, which translates to “We are who we are” in English.
The phrase is at the heart of Bayern and has been synonymous with the club and its players.
The saying first arose in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, during the 19th century. It was said regularly by the German politician Franz Josef Strauss, who was a chairman of the Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU) between the years of 1961 to 1988.
It was then claimed by Bayern during the 1980s, after the period in which the European side won three European Cups in three consecutive years – the first team to do so in the competition history.
It is during this time that the phrase truly garnered deeper meaning within the club.
The story goes that during the lead-up to Bayern’s 1987 European Cup final, the likes of club legends Hans Pflugler, Ludwig Kogl and Hansi Dorfner would weave the words “Mia San Mia” into their post-match celebration songs, typically performed atop tables.
Bayern ended up losing the final to Porto, but in doing so, the motto garnered more weight and meaning.
It is now tied to the club’s endless sucess at domestic and international level.
“Mia san Mia stands for the complete will to succeed,” Thomas Muller. “That’s how we manage to turn games round so often. There’s no middle ground, only wins.
“Mia san Mia stands for a hardcore winning mentality with a good dose of self-belief, but without any arrogance. Whoever wants to win has to work hard for it. It’s the same as for professional footballers.
“The best footballers always play for Bayern. Everyone gives it their all in training. Anyone who can’t get on with the idea is in the wrong place. It’s something we all try to teach the younger players. There’s nothing that’s more important.”
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