Legendary names reeled off on the spot! Nathaniel Brown impresses with expert knowledge of Bayern Munich
New signing Nathaniel Brown impressed with spontaneous expert knowledge of Bayern Munich's history.
After the 2-1 win at Borussia Dortmund in the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup, Brown, who has taken the unusual No. 11 shirt for a left-back in Munich, was asked about some well-known predecessors at FCB. The 23-year-old had his answer straight away.
"Coman and Douglas Costa wore the number, and I think Shaqiri did too," Brown immediately reeled off three legendary former Bayern No. 11s without hesitation. "It's nice that I'm allowed to wear the 11 now. That makes me very proud."
Kingsley Coman, now at Al-Nassr, wore the No. 11 shirt for FCB from 2021 to 2025, which Brown has now taken directly from Nicolas Jackson, who played for the German record champions last season on loan from Chelsea. Douglas Costa dazzled for Bayern with the No. 11 from 2015 to 2017, then wore it again during his unsuccessful return in 2020/21. Xherdan Shaqiri, meanwhile, was FCB's No. 11 from 2012 to 2015.
Nathaniel Brown surprisingly played as a No. 10 for Bayern in the Supercup
Then the reporter threw in another legendary No. 11, Stefan Effenberg, and Brown replied with a laugh: "That's right too." He was hardly likely to name the 2001 Champions League winner and current TV pundit himself, given Brown had not even been born when Effenberg left FCB in 2002.
Brown, who was signed from Eintracht Frankfurt for a fee of 50 million euros, also spoke about the unfamiliar role he filled in the Supercup in Dortmund on Saturday evening. Coach Vincent Kompany used the Germany international as a No. 10 in attacking midfield.
"I don't know if that was the plan. Especially in the first games, I did think I'd be used at left-back," Brown admitted, also surprised by Kompany's move, while stressing at the same time: "I don't mind, I really enjoyed it."
Nathaniel Brown on his Supercup display: "Not so good at the start"
The former Frankfurt player is primarily planned as a left-back, but his flexibility also made him an option for the double pivot from the outset. Evidently, Kompany also sees Brown here and there as a No. 10. "For us, the spaces for the full-backs are sometimes similar to those of a No. 10. He is unbelievably good between the spaces. Whether he plays as a full-back or as a No. 10 - today that helped us because Serge Gnabry, Lennart Karl and Jamal Musiala were missing," the Bayern coach explained after the Supercup on Sky.
Even after winning the title and scoring the fine opener after just under half an hour, Brown was not completely satisfied with his performance: "At the start it wasn't so good from me, in the first few minutes I didn't really get into the game. But the goal then gave me confidence," said the new Munich player.
Following his goal on his competitive debut, Brown looks set to play an important role in Friday's upcoming assignment too, whether back on the left or again in central midfield. Bayern then host VfB Stuttgart in their opening match of the new Bundesliga season.
