The occasion for the event at Munich’s Bayerischer Hof hotel was the renewal of Matthäus’ long-standing partnership with Interwetten. Germany’s record appearance holder will continue to represent the company as an expert and brand ambassador. During the event, Matthäus shared his views on some of the biggest talking points in German and international football.
Why Matthäus puts Kane and Olise ahead of Yamal
In Lothar Matthäus’ view, the 2026 Ballon d’Or should go to a Bayern Munich player. Matthäus, who won the prestigious award himself in 1990, believes Harry Kane and Michael Olise have delivered the most convincing performances over the course of the past season.
“If I judge the past season, there are only two players who come into consideration: Harry Kane and Michael Olise. And I’m not saying that just because I used to play for Bayern Munich,” Matthäus insisted.
He explained his reasoning: “They have simply delivered. They’ve scored goals, won trophies and reached the Champions League semi-finals.”
Matthäus believes the other contenders have lacked the same consistency. Although Lamine Yamal won the World Cup with Spain, he feels the youngster fell short of his usual standards during the tournament. Kylian Mbappé, meanwhile, failed to win a trophy, while Rodri impressed above all at the World Cup, where he was deservedly named the tournament’s best player.
Matthäus also questioned the period taken into account for the award. In his opinion, the assessment should have ended immediately after the World Cup final. He considers it problematic that performances in the following weeks are still being factored in. Yamal, in particular, has strengthened his case recently, even though Matthäus believes those displays should no longer count.
Olise deserves a pay rise and a new deal
The Interwetten expert also spoke at length about Michael Olise. Matthäus now regards the French winger as one of the best players in the world and believes his salary should reflect his standing.
Matthäus pointed to Olise’s estimated market value, which has risen from €50 million to €180 million. He jokingly suggested that such an increase would justify an annual salary of €45 million, before immediately clarifying that Bayern would not actually need to pay anything approaching that figure.
Instead, Matthäus would extend the Frenchman’s contract by another two or three years without hesitation and offer him a substantial pay rise. Olise, he argued, offers more than just his performances on the pitch: he is also an important commercial asset and a valuable figure for the club’s merchandising.
Nor has Olise’s recent red card against Viking Stavanger diminished Matthäus’ admiration. Although he acknowledges that the sending-off was a mistake, he sees no reason for an additional fine. Missing the important Champions League encounter with Arsenal is punishment enough, in his view.
Matthäus is equally untroubled by Olise’s reluctance to give interviews or conform to expectations away from the pitch. He believes the Bayern star should be allowed to remain himself and concentrate on what makes him special: his creativity and exceptional ability on the ball.
Matthäus gives Bayern a strong chance of winning the treble
Matthäus was remarkably confident when assessing Bayern’s prospects this season. He put their chances of retaining the Bundesliga title at 99.9 per cent and their likelihood of winning the DFB-Pokal at 80 per cent.
He expects a much tighter contest in the Champions League, where he believes six or seven teams possess the quality required to lift the trophy. However, if Bayern can reproduce the courage and attacking intent they displayed against RB Leipzig, he considers them among the leading contenders.
Their upcoming meeting with Arsenal will provide an important test. With Olise suspended, other attacking players will have to assume greater responsibility. Matthäus believes Serge Gnabry and Lennart Karl have the quality to step up, even if both are still searching for full match sharpness. He also pointed out that Gnabry has enjoyed scoring against his former club in the past.Matthäus predicts a draw against the London side.
In the Bundesliga, meanwhile, he hopes Bayern will face a sustained challenge. Winning the title by just two points would not only make the competition more exciting for supporters but could also benefit Bayern themselves by keeping the players under pressure and fully focused ahead of their Champions League commitments. Nevertheless, Matthäus suspects the reality will be rather different.
Praise for Dortmund, concern over Gladbach and Leipzig
Matthäus believes Borussia Dortmund are capable of beating Bayern in a one-off encounter. Over an entire season, however, he sees the club as being at a disadvantage.
He praised Niko Kovač for the excellent work he has done in Dortmund and the progress made under his leadership. The decisive difference, in Matthäus’ eyes, is squad depth. While Bayern can regularly introduce established international players from the bench, Dortmund cannot match those resources.
His assessment of Borussia Mönchengladbach was considerably more critical. Following six defeats in their opening six matches, Matthäus believes his former club are already deeply embroiled in a relegation battle. He attributes their problems not only to performances on the pitch but also to poor decisions in previous years and a lack of leadership within the club.
Matthäus also senses growing unrest at RB Leipzig. Martín Demichelis, who was backed by Jürgen Klopp, is under pressure despite having a squad that Matthäus considers strong enough to qualify for the Champions League. He also questioned the controversial departure of Ole Werner, who he believes had previously done an excellent job. While Klopp had clearly supported Demichelis’ appointment, there had been no such consensus over Werner’s dismissal. Unless performances and results improve quickly, the manager’s position could come under further scrutiny.
By contrast, Matthäus was full of praise for newly promoted SV Elversberg. The club had already built a strong foundation in the second division and have continued to place their faith in talented young players who struggled to establish themselves elsewhere. He was particularly impressed by the club’s ability to remain grounded despite an encouraging start to the season.
Matthäus questions Klopp’s early results with Germany
Matthäus also assessed Jürgen Klopp’s opening spell as Germany head coach. He described the results so far as disappointing, arguing that a team cannot be satisfied after failing to score against Greece. At the same time, he acknowledged that Klopp has yet to field his strongest possible side in a single match.
On the positive side, Matthäus believes the new national team manager has been able to assess a wide range of players. Even so, he feels Germany could have collected more points from their opening fixtures.
He also suggested that Niclas Füllkrug should remain in contention for future squads. The striker has been scoring regularly again for Werder Bremen and, despite his age, could provide a valuable alternative. Matthäus still considers Kai Havertz the first choice to lead the attack, but believes Füllkrug’s experience and current form should not be overlooked.
Matthäus extends long-standing partnership with Interwetten
Alongside the football discussion, the Munich event also marked the renewal of Lothar Matthäus’ partnership with Interwetten. The 1990 World Cup winner will continue his work as an expert and brand ambassador for the company.
Matthäus emphasised how much he values long-term relationships. He pointed to his lengthy spells at Borussia Mönchengladbach, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan, as well as his 48-year association with Puma. He also spoke warmly of his relationship with Interwetten, expressing his hope that the partnership would continue for many years to come.
There is also a special connection between Matthäus’ career and the company’s history: Interwetten was founded in 1990, the very year Matthäus won the World Cup with West Germany and claimed the Ballon d’Or.
