Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes thanked his side for giving him the "most beautiful present" in his last game in charge on Saturday.
A 3-2 win over Stuttgart in the DFB-Pokal final ensured Bayern became the first German club to win a treble, following recent success in both the Bundesliga and Champions League final.
"This is an emotional moment," said Heynckes, who leaves the club this summer to be replaced by Pep Guardiola. "The team have given themselves and me the most beautiful present around. The treble is unique - nobody has ever done it before in the history of the Bundesliga."
Captain Philipp Lahm first got his hands on a trophy three weeks ago when Bayern won the Bundesliga, three years after they had last won a trophy when Mark van Bommel was the skipper.
He has now lifted three different items of silverware and enters the record books as a result. "They have been hard months, but the last few weeks have been amazing," Lahm told Sky television. "We have rewarded ourselves for what we have worked hard for in recent years. You cannot take for granted a march through the season like ours."
Missing out on silverware three times last season by finishing second in the Bundesliga and runners-up in both the DFB-Pokal and Champions League provided the inspiration for their record-breaking season, which is going to be hard to top, according to vice-captain Bastian Schweinsteiger.
"It was not easy last year," he said. "We focused on doing things three or four per cent better, and we've sustained that all season. Many expect a lot from us and we expect a lot from ourselves, but then to do this takes a lot out of you psychologically. That is why we are now just so relieved, but also proud that we have done it."
It was not so easy in Berlin, however. After opening up a three-goal lead through Thomas Muller and a brace from Mario Gomez, two late goals from Martin Harnik set up a grandstand finish with Stuttgart going close to forcing extra time.
"We were a bit scared in the last 10 minutes," admitted winger Franck Ribery. "I think that we didn't play all that well in the last 20 minutes, but then who cares - we've won and this is football, and this is the cup."
Source: PA
