Rummenigge: Paris abandons Europe s most expensive salary structure and wins the Champions League first

Rumenig was interviewed and talked about concerns about rising players' salaries.

What changes have happened to football since your player age?

These matches are more confrontational, faster paced, and much more complex in tactics. At the turn of the century, Scavengers sometimes appeared in the three-guard system, but the long-used 4-4-2 formation has evolved into flexible and varied systems, such as the 4-2-3-1 or 3-4-3 formation with oppressive play. The role of the team's core organization has weakened. In the past, we had big-name No. 10 players like Nezer, who were the focus of the game. The best players on the team nowadays will also wear No. 10 jerseys, such as Messi or Mbappe, but they are more like scorers. Also (the player's) speed has always been important, and now players without speed have few chances in the top league.

Do you think you can succeed in your player age in today's arena?

I don't think this is a problem for me. I was a shadow striker, fast speed and good dribbling skills, these are all traits that are still popular today. When I was in my best shape, I would definitely gain a foothold in today's stadium. Fortunately, God gave me some gifts.

Who do you think are the three greatest players since 2000?

This era (referring to a long time after 2000) is obviously defined by Messi and Ronaldo. The Golden Ball Award is almost won by them. Now there are some people who are concerned about the new generation of players, such as Mbappe and Yamal, and there are also several excellent players in the Paris Saint-Germain.

Worried about the trend of rising players' salaries

I am worried about the trend of rising players' salaries, not only in Bayern Munich, but also in football as a whole. However, I feel deeply relieved that Paris Saint-Germain’s success in the Champions League. Paris Saint-Germain intentionally abandoned the most expensive salary structure in Europe. Messi, Neymar and Mbappe have all left the team, but they have won the Champions League for the first time, which shows that a club can still achieve competitive success through wise and sustainable investment.

The changes in transfer fees must be viewed in light of the club's revenue. In 2000, Bayern Munich's revenue was 283 million German marks, equivalent to 144.7 million euros; last year our revenue was 951.5 million euros, more than six times that of that time. Transfer fees are not the problem, because transfer fees will be amortized during the contract period. Take Kane as an example. He signed a four-year contract with an average transfer fee of 100 million euros per year, and Bayern Munich's burden is 25 million euros. The bigger problem is the increase in salary, and Bayern Munich sometimes pays players too high salaries that do not match their value.

Can this situation be corrected?

Of course, it can be, as Paris Saint-Germain proves, everything can be reversed, but we must implement change wisely and consistently.