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Bayern’s Harry Kane celebrates after scoring during the DFB Pokal, German Cup final soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Bayern Munich in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, May 23, 2026.<\/p>\n
Ebrahim Noroozi\/AP Photo\/Ebrahim Noroozi<\/p>\n
Bayern’s Harry Kane celebrates after scoring during the German Cup final soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Bayern Munich in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (Michael Kappeler\/dpa via AP)<\/p>\n
Michael Kappeler\/Michael Kappeler\/DPA via AP<\/p>\n
Bayern’s Harry Kane, centre, in action during the DFB Pokal, German Cup final soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Bayern Munich in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, May 23, 2026.<\/p>\n
Ebrahim Noroozi\/AP Photo\/Ebrahim Noroozi<\/p>\n
Bayern’s Harry Kane, front celebrates with Joshua Kimmich after Kane scored his third goal during the DFB Pokal, German Cup final soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Bayern Munich in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (Michael Kappeler\/dpa via AP)<\/p>\n
Michael Kappeler\/Michael Kappeler\/DPA via AP<\/p>\n
Bayern fans celebrate with pyrotechnics during the DFB Pokal, German Cup final soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Bayern Munich in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (Tom Weller\/dpa via AP)<\/p>\n
Tom Weller\/Tom Weller\/DPA via AP<\/p>\n
BERLIN (AP) \u2014 Harry Kane cut through the smoke of the German Cup final with a hat trick for Bayern Munich to beat defending champion Stuttgart 3-0 and complete another domestic double on Saturday.<\/p>\n
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Kane\u2019s goals in the second half set off fireworks among the Bayern fans who had joined their Stuttgart rivals in protesting against the German soccer federation (DFB) for a planned increase in security measures.<\/p>\n
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The protests started after the halftime break when the Bayern fans displayed a giant DFB logo with a line drawn through it over a banner with an expletive against the DFB, while their Stuttgart counterparts had a banner calling for \u201cfreedom for the terraces.\u201d They both then filled the ends of the stadium with huge pyrotechnic displays, shrouding the field under a cover of smoke.<\/p>\n
Kane broke the deadlock shortly afterward with a diving header to Michael Olise\u2019s cross in the 55th minute.<\/p>\n
That prompted more fireworks from the Bayern fans, worsening the already poor visibility and leading to a break in play.<\/p>\n
Kane struck the crossbar with a thunderous shot before sealing the result in the 80th with a shot inside the bottom corner after being picked out by Luis D\u00edaz.<\/p>\n
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Angelo Stiller conceded a penalty for hand ball and Kane completed his hat trick from the spot in stoppage time.<\/p>\n
Kane finished with 61 goals for Bayern this season, including the cup, league, super cup and Champions League.<\/p>\n
They helped Bayern wrap up the Bundesliga title with four rounds to spare.<\/p>\n
It was Bayern\u2019s first appearance in the German Cup final since 2000, when it defeated Bayer Leverkusen 4-2 for its previous domestic double.<\/p>\n
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Stuttgart defeated third-division champion Arminia Bielefeld 4-2 in last year\u2019s decider.<\/p>\n
Bayern celebrations<\/p>\n
Bayern\u2019s players ran straight over to their fans in Olympiastadion\u2019s east end to celebrate the end of the six-year cup title drought.<\/p>\n
Stuttgart had the better of an intensive first half with Maximilian Mittelst\u00e4dt forcing an outstanding save from Jonas Urbig, who was playing in place of the injured Manuel Neuer in Bayern\u2019s otherwise full-strength team.<\/p>\n
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Kane was frustrated, getting just a shoulder to an Olise cross and having another chance cleared by Ramon Hendriks.<\/p>\n
Stuttgart was playing at its limit, however, while Bayern was not. There was only going to be one winner after Kane scored his first.<\/p>\n
“The second half was much better. We were much more effective,\u201d Joshua Kimmich told broadcaster ARD before his team got to lift the trophy under a shower of golden confetti.<\/p>\n
Pre-game protest<\/p>\n
Outside the stadium before the game, Thomas Melchior was continuing his one-man campaign to stop gambling providers\u2019 involvement in sports. He was wearing a bright Stuttgart jersey, looking for Bayern fans to confront with a sign saying \u201cSport rather than sports betting\u201d while carrying a 30-kilogram weight on his shoulders.<\/p>\n
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In contrast to when he first spoke to The Associated Press in October, Melchior was generating more praise than rage as fans had become aware of his campaign. But he wasn\u2019t finished.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause betting providers are still advertising everywhere during soccer matches \u2014 constantly, everywhere. And because people are still becoming addicted every single day because of that advertising,\u201d Melchior said. \u201cThat\u2019s exactly how it was for me back then, and that\u2019s why I\u2019m still doing this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Melchior was sentenced to 5 \u00bd years in prison in 2019 for fraud and theft offenses after losing more than 800,000 euros ($937,000 today) on gambling.<\/p>\n
Now trying to make amends, he lamented the endorsement of gambling providers by the likes of FIFA and the DFB.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt\u2019s going completely in the wrong direction. There should be less advertising, not more,” Melchior said. “People have to simply know \u2014 firstly that sport betting is dangerous, and secondly that it will also destroy sport.”<\/p>\n