Having already clinched the league title, Bayern's 4-1 home victory on the final match day of this Bundesliga season was inspired by the retirements of Xabi Alonso and Philipp Lahm.
SC Freiburg could have qualified for the Europa League with a win, so the stakes were certainly high for them. However, Bayern's quality was too much to overcome, and Alonso and Lahm went out with a win.
There it is!
Philipp Lahm and Xabi Alonso lift the #Bundesliga trophy one last time. https://t.co/DfOeO9HUPA— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 20, 2017
Both players have had illustrious careers, with each winning a World Cup and several domestic league titles.
Lahm is widely considered one of the best fullbacks of all time, known for his versatility and skill. He played in over 500 games for Bayern and collected 8 Bundesliga titles along the way. To cap off his international career, he captained Germany during its World Cup title run in Brazil.
Alonso's trophy collection is staggering. In addition to his World Cup with Spain, he played a vital role during their title runs at the Euros in 2008 and 2012. He won the Champions League with Liverpool and Real Madrid, and he added a La Liga title before finishing with three straight in the Bundesliga.
Although Bayern loses two key pieces of this year's team, they'll certainly be favored to make it six in a row next season. Lyon set the bar high with seven straight Ligue 1 titles from 2002-2008, but Bayern is closing in on their record in top division football.
That's enough to make any team happy.
How does that first #Bundesliga beer shower taste, Carlo?https://t.co/yOzcl6j8CQ
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 20, 2017