The figurine has become an essential item in the dressing room, carrying a clear meaning of good luck for the team.
Goretzka, holding an unexpected lucky charm during the Bundesliga celebration.
Bayern Munich 4-2 Stuttgart.
Bayern Munich has been crowned champion of the Bundesliga. Vincent Kompany’s side secured another title in a league campaign where they have been dominant from the start. However, despite playing brilliant football and breaking a historic goal-scoring record that continues to grow, there is also a factor called luck—or, more precisely, superstition.
The story came to light through a curious image captured during the celebrations. Bayern players brought out a strange figurine that did not go unnoticed by those present: a cockatoo… which the players had stolen! The champions carried it in their arms and even printed it on their shirts, much to the surprise and disbelief of onlookers. However, Lothar Matthäus himself clarified the amusing anecdote on Sky TV, revealing a story full of twists.
A Stolen Charm from the Start
To understand the backstory of this surreal image, one must go back to last season. At that time, Bayern was battling Leverkusen for the Bundesliga title, so the entire squad gathered to watch Leverkusen’s match and see if they could clinch the championship. The meeting place was the Käfer restaurant in Munich, which has become a magnet for good luck for Bayern thanks to the theft of a porcelain cockatoo. “It’s made of porcelain and is undoubtedly worth about 1,000 euros,” said Michael Käfer, the restaurant owner, to Bild.
“It’s made of porcelain and is undoubtedly worth about 1,000 euros.” – Michael Käfer, owner of the restaurant and the ‘stolen’ cockatoo.
After the meeting, Leverkusen drew 2-2, making Kompany’s squad champions. This sparked a wild celebration, with joy filling the atmosphere. “They were in a fantastic mood and having a great time. That’s what’s wonderful—they were having fun and they took it,” explained the businessman, after realizing his decorative item was missing because the players had grabbed it.
The players with their shirts and the famous cockatoo.
However, far from being angry, Michael insisted that the piece should stay with the club as a lucky charm, and that’s exactly what happened. “I don’t want the cockatoo back, please let it stay with Bayern and bring Kompany and the team lots of luck,” he said, and rightly so, as the squad has kept it as a good luck token ever since. This was evident during the 2025-26 Bundesliga celebration. “That fills me with pride! I’ll write a letter to the coach and Max Eberl first thing Monday morning,” he added at that time.
So Important… It Even Has a Caretaker!
Despite being a mere decorative item, the club has given it a vital role in their fortunes. So much so that it even has a designated keeper to protect this now-lucky charm for Bayern. “The only thing I know is that Danksy (the assistant coach) has the closest relationship with him,” Palinha recalled. “I saw the cockatoo on the training ground this week. We still haven’t given it a name,” he added last season after winning the league.
The cockatoo, the star of the celebration.
Now, after retaining the title with a 4-2 win over Stuttgart, the players have once again publicly brought out their lucky charm. A piece with a surreal story behind it, yet amusing and with a happy ending. The lingering question remains: who was the one who first took the step?