Who Holds the Record for Most Goals in a Bundesliga Season?

Robert Lewandowski scored 41 Bundesliga goals for Bayern Munich in 2020-21, breaking a record set by the legendary Gerd Müller almost half a century earlier.

The Bundesliga has featured some of the greatest goalscorers in football history, but no player has ever produced a more prolific league season than Robert Lewandowski. The Polish striker scored 41 goals for Bayern Munich during the 2020-21 Bundesliga campaign, setting a record that still stands today. Even more remarkably, he reached that total in only 29 appearances.

His achievement surpassed one of German football's most famous records: the 40 goals scored by Gerd Müller for Bayern Munich in 1971-72.

Breaking a 49-Year Record

Müller had established a benchmark that appeared almost impossible to beat.

During the 1971-72 season, "Der Bomber" scored 40 times as Bayern won the Bundesliga. His remarkable campaign included five braces, four hat-tricks, a four-goal performance and even a five-goal game.

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The record survived for 49 years.

Lewandowski had already established himself as the Bundesliga's dominant striker before 2020-21. He scored 34 league goals the previous season, but his next campaign took his goalscoring to another level.

Despite missing several matches, the Bayern forward entered the final matchday of the season level with Müller's record on 40 goals.

Against Augsburg, he had one final opportunity to make history.

The decisive moment arrived deep into stoppage time. Leroy Sané's shot was saved by Rafał Gikiewicz, but Lewandowski converted the rebound to score his 41st goal of the campaign with virtually the final kick of the season.

Who Has Come Closest Since?

One of the strongest challenges came from another Bayern Munich striker.

Harry Kane scored 36 Bundesliga goals in 32 appearances during his debut season in Germany in 2023-24. It was enough to win the Bundesliga scoring title and the European Golden Shoe, but he still finished five goals behind Lewandowski's record.

The historical comparison also highlights just how extraordinary Lewandowski's season was. Müller reached 40 in 1971-72 and 38 in 1969-70, while Kane's 36 in 2023-24 matched the total Müller had produced in 1972-73.

Lewandowski eventually left Germany in 2022 after scoring 312 Bundesliga goals for Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich. Only Müller, with 365, scored more in the competition's history.

His 41 goals in 2020-21 remain the number every Bundesliga striker has to chase.