Some footballing rivalries transcend their respective nations, and that of Bundesliga contenders Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund has captured the attention of fans around the world for decades.
Known as Der Klassiker, the contest between the German heavyweights has long been the standout fixture in the country's football calendar, and often has a significant bearing on the title race in any given season.
In 2025-26, Vincent Kompany's Bavarians currently lead the way at the top of the Bundesliga table, though they are being pursued by Niko Kovac's impressive Black and Yellow, who themselves have only tasted top-flight defeat once this term.
Read on as Football Ground Guide takes a look at the origin, history and head-to-head record between Klassiker rivals Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.
History and Origin of Der Klassiker
Unlike other rivalries such as Barcelona and Real Madrid‘s El Clasico – which is political in spirit – or local clashes such as the Merseyside Derby between Liverpool and Everton, which are regional in nature, Der Klassiker is a rivalry rooted in footballing competition.
Historically, contests between Bayern and Borussia Monchengladbach were referred to by the ‘Klassiker' moniker, though the name has come to belong to clashes between Dortmund and the Bavarians in recent decades.
In truth, the modern Klassiker did not reach the intensity that it is known for today until the 1990s, when Ottmar Hitzfeld was at the helm for Dortmund. The coach beat Bayern 3-0 home and away in his debut 1991-92 campaign with BVB, and though his team finished second that season, he eventually led Dortmund to their first Bundesliga title in 1994-95.
The Black and Yellow defended their crown the following year, finishing six points clear of runners-up Bayern, who had been leading the title race until they were dramatically overtaken with just four games to play.
Bayern took the Bundesliga back in 1996-97, though Hitzfield would go on to win the UEFA Champions League with Dortmund that season, lifting the famous trophy thanks to a 3-1 victory over Zinedine Zidane's Juventus in the final at the Bavarians' Olympiastadion home ground.
Hitzfield left his role as manager at the end of that campaign to become the club's sporting director, before eventually making a shocking switch to the role of Bayern manager in the summer of 1998, working under his former international teammate Uli Hoeness.
During his six seasons with Bayern, Hitzfield secured the Bundesliga on four occasions, not to mention his two triumphs in the DFB-Pokal and a Champions League win.
In the 21st century, the arrival of Jurgen Klopp sparked Der Klassiker back into life, and with the likes of Robert Lewandowski up top, the former Mainz coach led Dortmund to consecutive league titles in 2010-11 and 2011-12, seasons that saw BVB win all five of the competitive meetings between the sides. That domination also included a famous 5-2 win over Bayern in the 2012 DFB-Pokal final.
The most famous Klassiker of all time took place one year later, when Bayern beat Dortmund 2-1 in the Champions League final at Wembley. With a reported viewership of 360 million worldwide, the clash was the most watched sports broadcast of 2013.
However, Bayern have won the league in all but one of the seasons since Pep Guardiola's double in Klopp's final season with BVB, even if the Black and Yellow came close only to miss out on goal difference in 2022-23.
Head-to-head record between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund
- Total meetings: 138
- Bayern Munich wins: 68
- Draws: 37
- Borussia Dortmund wins: 33
Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have locked horns 138 times over the decades, and it is the Bavarians who lead the way with 68 wins to BVB's 33. The clubs have also shared the spoils on a further 37 occasions.
Most recently, the Bavarians came out on top in a 2-1 win at the Allianz Arena in October 2025, when goals from Harry Kane and Michael Olise were enough to make Julian Brandt's late effort a mere consolation.
Bayern and Dortmund have won 27 of the last 32 Bundesliga titles between them, though it would be fair to say that the Bavarians have enjoyed significantly more of the success in that stretch considering that they lifted the Meisterschale 22 times compared to their rivals' five successes since 1993-94.
Key matches and iconic Der Klassiker fixtures
First-ever meeting:
Oct 16, 1965: Bayern Munich 0-2 Borussia Dortmund (Bundesliga)
Highest-scoring game:
Nov 27, 1971: Bayern Munich 11-1 Borussia Dortmund (Bundesliga)
Iconic clashes
The 2013 Champions League final:
May 25, 2013: Bayern Munich 2-1 Borussia Dortmund
The most famous Klassiker took place in the final of the 2012-13 UEFA Champions League, the biggest club stage in football.
En route to the final at Wembley, it was perhaps poetic that Bayern thrashed Barcelona 7-0 on aggregate in the semi-finals, while Dortmund made their way past Real Madrid with a 4-3 aggregate victory. Those results led to the final gaining more attention as the ‘German Clasico', adding to Der Klassiker's growing legend.
In the first half, both Manuel Neuer and Roman Weidenfeller made strong saves to keep the score level, though the second period saw the Bavarians' Mario Mandzukic net an opener on the hour mark which was later cancelled out by an Ilkay Gundogan penalty.
Defender Neven Subotic came to the rescue for BVB with a number of clearances in the closing stages, but he was unable to prevent Franck Ribery from setting up Arjen Robben's last-gasp winner.
The ‘cry-baby incident':
April 19, 1997: Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Bayern Munich
One of the earliest flare-ups between the two sides that highlighted their intensifying rivalry on and off the pitch came in the 1996-97 Bundesliga season. An action-packed opening few moments saw Karl-Heinz Riedle give Dortmund a lead in the second minute before Ruggiero Rizzitelli levelled proceedings in the third.
The score remained 1-1, but when Bayern captain Lothar Matthaus made a ‘crying' gesture towards Andreas Moller following a challenge on the BVB man, the Ballon d'Or winner was struck across the face by the target of his mockery in response.
Oliver Kahn madness:
Apr 3, 1999: Borussia Dortmund 2-2 Bayern Munich
With former Dortmund manager Hitzfield at the helm, Bayern were on their way to lifting the Bundesliga title, but a tough challenge against BVB stood in their way.
Dortmund took a two-goal lead in the first half thanks to a brace from Heiko Herrlich, and when the Bavarians were reduced to 10 men, it seemed that the points were lost. However, after goalkeeper Oliver Kahn launched a flying kick towards Stephan Chapuisat, and attempted to bite Herrlich's cheek, the team bounced back.
Alexander Zickler and Carsten Jancker found the back of the net in the second 45 to cancel out the deficit, and Kahn saved a Lars Ricken penalty late on to deny Dortmund the win.
‘Dirtiest match in Bundesliga history':
Apr 07, 2001: Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Bayern Munich
With former player Matthias Sammer at the helm, Dortmund were enjoying a strong campaign, though their second encounter with Bayern in 2000-01 would go down in history as arguably the dirtiest match in Bundesliga history.
The game ended 1-1, but with a total of 14 cards given out between the sides (including three red cards) disciplinary issues and tempers on the pitch drew the headlines. It is notable that only two of the Bavarians' stars avoided a booking – Roque Santa Cruz and Patrik Andersson – while BVB were shown just two yellows.
Bayern had full-back Bixente Lizarazu sent off with two yellow cards in the first half, before Stefan Effenberg was dismissed with a straight red in the second. Dortmund were reduced to 10 when Evanilson was sent off late on.
The 1997-98 Champions League quarter-finals:
Mar 18, 1998: Borussia Dortmund 1-0 Bayern Munich
Dortmund had won the Champions League in 1996-97 under Hitzfeld, and as part of their attempted defence, they came up against Bayern in the quarter-finals.
The Black and Yellow went on to win 1-0 on aggregate after a single goal from Chapuisat in the second leg, but rather than for the result, this match went down in history for being the first time that two clubs from the same country had met in the Champions League.
The 2008 DFB-Pokal final:
Apr 19, 2008: Borussia Dortmund 1-2 Bayern Munich
Luca Toni opened the scoring for Bayern with just 11 minutes on the clock, and after the club failed to extend their lead, Dortmund's Mladen Petric clawed back an equaliser in second-half stoppages to take the final into extra time.
However, Toni found a second to secure Bayern's 14th cup crown, which formed half of a domestic double in 2007-08.
The 2012 DFB-Pokal Final:
May 12, 2012: Borussia Dortmund 5-2 Bayern Munich
Shinji Kagawa set the tone for Klopp's side when he broke the deadlock three minutes into the final, and though Robben was able to level the score with a penalty midway through the first half, Mats Hummels restored BVB's advantage with a spotkick of his own.
A hat-trick from Lewandowski put the game beyond Bayern, and made certain that Ribery's late effort was inconsequential en route to Dortmund's first-ever Bundesliga and cup double.
Notable records in Der Klassiker
Biggest winning margin:
Nov 27, 1971: Bayern Munich 11-1 Borussia Dortmund (Bundesliga)
Top goalscorer:
Robert Lewandowski – 32 goals (Bayern Munich & Borussia Dortmund)
Most appearances:
Thomas Muller – 44 appearances (Bayern Munich)