Nicolas Jackson brought his Bundesliga spell with Bayern Munich to an emotional close after scoring in a 5-1 victory over FC Cologne before being officially bid farewell by the German champions.
The Senegal international, who spent the season on loan from Chelsea FC, is set to return to England in June after Bayern reportedly decided not to activate the option to make his move permanent.
Before kick-off at the Allianz Arena, Bayern paid tribute to the striker during what was confirmed as his final Bundesliga appearance for the club.
Jackson received a commemorative plaque bearing the words “Thank You” from sporting director Max Erbel and club president Hainer Herbert, while supporters inside the stadium applauded the 23-year-old forward for his contribution during the campaign.
The occasion became even more memorable when Jackson came off the bench late in the match and scored Bayern’s fifth goal only moments after entering the game.
Introduced in the 83rd minute by coach Vincent Kompany, the African champion quickly made an impact by finishing from a pass by Luis Diaz.
The goal completed Bayern’s dominant 5-1 victory and added another highlight to Jackson’s productive season in Germany.
Across all competitions, the Senegalese striker finished the campaign with 11 goals, including eight in the Bundesliga and three in the UEFA Champions League.
Those numbers underlined his importance within a Bayern squad that went on to secure the Bundesliga title after a highly successful domestic season.
Bayern controlled much of the final-day contest against Cologne, with Harry Kane once again leading the attack.
Kane opened the scoring in the 10th minute after connecting with a cross from Joshua Kimmich before adding a second goal just three minutes later with a powerful strike from outside the area.
Cologne briefly responded through Saïd El Mala in the 18th minute, but Bayern quickly restored control when Tom Bischof made it 3-1 following a move involving Lennart Karl.
Kane completed his hat-trick in the second half after an assist from Leon Goretzka, before Jackson rounded off the scoring late on.
The match also carried emotional significance beyond the result, with several players receiving tributes during the final home fixture of the Bundesliga season.
For Jackson, however, the afternoon represented both an ending and a potential new beginning.
After arriving in Bavaria with limited fanfare, the Senegalese forward established himself as an effective attacking option within one of Europe’s biggest clubs.
His performances helped Bayern secure the league title and strengthened his growing reputation among African football supporters following Senegal’s continental success in recent years.
Although his future now lies back at Chelsea, Jackson leaves Germany having enjoyed one of the most productive periods of his club career so far.
