Thomas Müller (; born 13 September 1989) is a German professional
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...
who plays for club
Bayern Munich. He primarily plays as an
attacking midfielder
In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. ...
or a
second striker. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of his era,
Müller has been praised for his positioning, finishing, playmaking, work-rate, and consistency in both scoring and creating goals.
A product of Bayern Munich's
youth system
In sporting terminology, a youth system (or youth academy) is a youth investment program within a particular team or league, which develops and nurtures young talent in farm teams, with the vision of using them in the first team if they show en ...
, Müller
has represented the club ever since. With Bayern, he has won a record thirteen Bundesliga titles, six DFB-Pokals, eight DFL-Supercups, two UEFA Champions League titles, two UEFA Super Cups, and two FIFA Club World Cups. He joined the first team in the
2009–10 season after
Louis van Gaal
Aloysius Paulus Maria "Louis" van Gaal (; born 8 August 1951) is a Dutch former association football, football player and former manager who currently serves as an advisor for AFC Ajax, Ajax. At club level, he served as manager of AFC Ajax, Aj ...
was appointed as the main coach; he played almost every game that season as Bayern won the
league and
cup
A cup is an open-top vessel (container) used to hold liquids for drinking, typically with a flattened hemispherical shape, and often with a capacity of about . Cups may be made of pottery (including porcelain), glass, metal, wood, stone, pol ...
double
Double, The Double or Dubble may refer to:
Mathematics and computing
* Multiplication by 2
* Double precision, a floating-point representation of numbers that is typically 64 bits in length
* A double number of the form x+yj, where j^2=+1
* A ...
and reached the
2010 UEFA Champions League final. Müller scored in the
2012 UEFA Champions League final
The 2012 UEFA Champions League final was an association football match which took place on Saturday, 19 May 2012 between Bayern Munich of Germany and Chelsea of England at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany. The match was to decide the winner ...
though Bayern lost the final on penalties. Müller scored 23 goals in the
2012–13 season as Bayern won a historic
treble; the league title, cup and
Champions League. He broke the Bundesliga record for assists in a season with 21 (a joint record in the top five leagues alongside
Lionel Messi
Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi (; born 24 June 1987) is an Argentine professional Association football, footballer who plays as a forward (association football), forward for and Captain (association football), captains both Major League Soccer ...
in
La Liga
The Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Primera División, commonly known as the Primera División or La Liga, and officially known as LaLiga EA Sports for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Spain and the highest ...
) and scored 14 goals in
2019–20 season as Bayern won a second treble. With over 750 matches played across seventeen seasons, Müller is
Bayern's all-time record appearance holder marking 248 goals and 281 assists for the club across all competitions, and one of only three players in league history to reach the landmark of 100 Bundesliga goals and 100 assists each (alongside
Andreas Möller and
Marco Reus
Marco Reus (; born 31 May 1989) is a German professional association football, footballer who plays as a Forward (association football), forward for Major League Soccer club LA Galaxy.
Reus spent his youth career at Borussia Dortmund, prior to l ...
). He also holds the record for the most UEFA Champions League appearances with one team.
Müller was called up to the
Germany national team in 2010. At the
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for List of men's national association football teams, men's national Association football, football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010. ...
, he scored five goals in six appearances as Germany finished in
third place
In sociology, the third place refers to the social surroundings that are separate from the two usual social environments of home ("first place") and the workplace ("second place"). Examples of third places include Church (building), churches, C ...
. He was named the
Best Young Player of the tournament and won the
Golden Boot as the tournament's top scorer. At the
2014 FIFA World Cup
The 2014 FIFA World Cup was the 20th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for list of men's national association football teams, men's national Association football, football teams organised by FIFA. It took place in Brazil fr ...
, he played a major role in helping the team win the trophy, as he scored five goals and received the
Silver Ball as the tournament's second best player and the
Silver Boot as the second top goalscorer. He was also named in the
World Cup All-Star XI and in the
Dream Team. He retired from international football after the
UEFA Euro 2024. In 2025, Müller became the most decorated German footballer in history with 34 trophies, along with
Toni Kroos.
Club career
Early career
Müller played as a youth for TSV Pähl, and at the age of 10
he made the journey to join local
Bundesliga
The Bundesliga (; ), sometimes referred to as the Fußball-Bundesliga () or 1. Bundesliga (), is a professional association football league in Germany and the highest level of the German football league system. The Bundesliga comprises 18 teams ...
side Bayern Munich in 2000.
He progressed through the
youth system
In sporting terminology, a youth system (or youth academy) is a youth investment program within a particular team or league, which develops and nurtures young talent in farm teams, with the vision of using them in the first team if they show en ...
and was part of the team that finished runner-up in the
Under 19 Bundesliga in 2007. Growing up, his favorite player was
Giovane Élber
Élber de Souza (born 23 July 1972), commonly known as Giovane Élber, is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as a striker.
A prolific goalscorer in various clubs, Élber's career was mostly spent in Germany, where he repre ...
.
Bayern Munich
Müller made his debut for the
reserve team
In sports, a reserve team is a team composed of players who are under contract to a club but who do not regularly play in matches for the club's primary team. Reserve teams usually include players who are part of the larger first-team squad but ...
in March 2008 when he replaced
Stephan Fürstner in a
Regionalliga
A (, plural ) is a regional league in numerous Sports governing body, sports governing bodies in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, usually located in the upper or middle tiers of the sports leagues.
The term is often associated with the Germa ...
match against
SpVgg Unterhaching, in which he scored. He made two more Regionalliga appearances in the 2007–08 season,
while continuing to play for the under-19 team. The following season, Bayern's second string qualified for the newly formed
3. Liga
The 3. Liga is a professional association football league and the third division in Germany. In the German football league system, it is positioned between the 2. Bundesliga and the fourth-tier Regionalliga.
The modern 3. Liga was formed for t ...
, and Müller established himself as a key player – he played in 32 out of 38 matches
and scored 15 times
to make him the league's fifth top scorer.
2008–09 season
Müller became involved in the first-team under then manager
Jürgen Klinsmann; he appeared in pre-season friendlies, and made his full debut on 15 August 2008, when he came on as a substitute for
Miroslav Klose
Miroslav Josef Klose (, ; born Mirosław Marian Klose; 9 June 1978) is a German professional Manager (association football), football manager and former Football player, player who currently serves as head coach of 1. FC Nürnberg. A Forward (as ...
for the last ten minutes of a Bundesliga match against
Hamburger SV
Hamburger Sport-Verein e.V. (), commonly known as Hamburger SV () or Hamburg (), or HSV (), is a German sports club based in Hamburg, with its largest branch being its Association football, football department. Though the current HSV was founde ...
. Despite Müller feeling that his performance did not go well,
he made three more Bundesliga appearances that season
and made his
Champions League debut on 10 March 2009 when he was substituted on in the 72nd minute for
Bastian Schweinsteiger
Bastian Schweinsteiger ( , ; born 1 August 1984) is a German former professional Association football, footballer who played as a midfielder. Earlier in his career, he primarily played as a wide midfielder before later switching to a central mi ...
in a 7–1 win over
Sporting CP
Sporting Clube de Portugal (), otherwise referred to as Sporting CP or simply Sporting (particularly within Portugal), or as Sporting Lisbon in other countries, . He scored Bayern's last goal as they won the tie 12–1 on
aggregate.
In February 2009, Müller signed his first contract for the senior team, a two-year deal effective from the
2009–10 season, along with reserve teammate
Holger Badstuber.
2009–10 season
Müller was prepared to be loaned or even transferred away to find first-team football,
but when
Louis van Gaal
Aloysius Paulus Maria "Louis" van Gaal (; born 8 August 1951) is a Dutch former association football, football player and former manager who currently serves as an advisor for AFC Ajax, Ajax. At club level, he served as manager of AFC Ajax, Aj ...
was appointed manager, both Müller and Badstuber became fixtures in the Bayern first team from the start of the season.
In the first few matches, Müller was a regular substitute, and on 12 September 2009, he was brought on against
Borussia Dortmund
Ballspielverein Borussia 09 e. V. Dortmund, often known simply as Borussia Dortmund () or by its initialism BVB (), or just Dortmund by International fans, is a German professional sports club based in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia. It is ...
and scored two goals in a 5–1 victory. Three days later, he scored another
brace in a 3–0
Champions League victory over
Maccabi Haifa. He rounded off September by being named the Bundesliga Player of the Month and earned praise from his namesake, legendary former Bayern and
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
striker
Gerd Müller
Gerhard "Gerd" Müller (; 3 November 1945 – 15 August 2021) was a German professional association football, footballer. A prolific Forward (association football)#Striker, striker, especially in and around the six-yard box, he is widely regarde ...
. After the Haifa match, Müller was in the starting XI for almost every match,
only missing one match, a Champions League match against
Bordeaux
Bordeaux ( ; ; Gascon language, Gascon ; ) is a city on the river Garonne in the Gironde Departments of France, department, southwestern France. A port city, it is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the Prefectures in F ...
, for which he was suspended, because he was sent off in an earlier match against the same team.
In February 2010, Müller signed a new contract with Bayern Munich through 2013. During the second half of the season, Müller continued to be a regular first-team starter,
usually playing in a central striking role due to the availability of other
wide players Franck Ribéry and
Arjen Robben. In April 2010, he scored the second goal in a 2–1 win against title rivals
Schalke 04, and in the penultimate league match of the season, he scored the first
hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick is the achievement of a generally positive feat three times in a match, or another achievement based on the number three.
Origin
The term first appeared in 1858 in cricket, to describe H. H. Stephenson taking three Wick ...
of his career, in a 3–1 win over
VfL Bochum
Verein für Leibesübungen Bochum 1848 Fußballgemeinschaft, commonly referred to as VfL Bochum (), is a Football in Germany, German professional association football club based in the city of Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia. They currently play ...
which effectively secured the
German title for Bayern. The title was confirmed a week later with a 3–1 win at
Hertha BSC
Hertha, Berliner Sport-Club e. V., commonly known as Hertha BSC () or Hertha Berlin, is a German professional football club based in Berlin. Hertha BSC plays in the 2. Bundesliga, the second tier of German football league system, German footbal ...
,
a match which Müller started.
For the season, Müller played in all 34 Bundesliga matches,
starting 29, and recorded 13 goals and 11
assists.
Bayern and Müller were back in
Berlin
Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
the following week, to face
Werder Bremen in the
final
Final, Finals or The Final may refer to:
*Final examination or finals, a test given at the end of a course of study or training
*Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which d ...
of the
DFB-Pokal
The DFB-Pokal (), also known as the German Cup in English language, English, is a German knockout Association football, football cup competition held annually by the German Football Association (DFB). Sixty-four teams participate in the competiti ...
. He started the match and Bayern won 4–0 to complete the domestic
double
Double, The Double or Dubble may refer to:
Mathematics and computing
* Multiplication by 2
* Double precision, a floating-point representation of numbers that is typically 64 bits in length
* A double number of the form x+yj, where j^2=+1
* A ...
.
Müller scored four goals and made two assists during the competition, which made him its leading scorer for
the season. Bayern's season ended in pursuit of a first
treble, in the
2010 Champions League Final against
Inter Milan
Football Club Internazionale Milano, commonly referred to as Internazionale () or simply Inter, and colloquially known as Inter Milan in English-speaking countries, is an Italian professional Association football, football List of football ...
at
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium (, ) is a retractable roof association football, football stadium in Madrid, Spain. With a seating capacity of around 83,000 following its extensive renovation completed in late 2024, the stadium has the second-largest ...
in Madrid. It was not to be, however, as they lost 2–0, with both goals coming from
Diego Milito. Müller was in the starting line-up and had a key chance just after half-time, with Bayern 1–0 down, but his shot was saved by
Júlio César.
Müller felt particularly disappointed by this defeat,
but he ended his first season as a first-team player with 52 matches played and 19 goals in all competitions.
In a poll conducted by the sports magazine
''kicker'', he was voted by his fellow professionals as the best newcomer of the 2009–10 season
and was named in the Bundesliga
Team of the Season. Müller credits Van Gaal for having had the biggest part to play in his rise to success – the coach arrived with a reputation for promoting youth team players, particularly at
Ajax
Ajax may refer to:
Greek mythology and tragedy
* Ajax the Great, a Greek mythological hero, son of King Telamon and Periboea
* Ajax the Lesser, a Greek mythological hero, son of Oileus, the king of Locris
* Ajax (play), ''Ajax'' (play), by the an ...
, and consistently gave Müller his chance in the first-team, going as far to say "''Müller spielt bei mir immer''" ("with me, Müller will always play").
Müller, in return, described Van Gaal as "a genius technician" who makes players "improve every time".
2010–11 season
Müller returned from his post-
World Cup
A world cup is a global sporting competition in which the participant entities – usually international teams or individuals representing their countries – compete for the title of world champion. The event most associated with the name is ...
break to sign another contract extension, this time extending his stay at Bayern until 2015. As with all of Bayern's World Cup participants, he missed much of
pre-season
In an organized sports league, a typical season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session: for example, in Major League Baseball the season lasts approximately from the last week of March to the last week of S ...
, and his first match back was the
Supercup against Schalke 04 on 7 August.
He was named in the starting 11, and scored the opening goal in a 2–0 win. Two weeks later he scored the opening goal of Bayern's
league season in a 2–1 home win against
VfL Wolfsburg.
Müller played in every match of the first half of the season, usually as a starter,
but as the team struggled for results, Müller was unable to match the previous season's goalscoring exploits,
being dropped to the bench,
and even receiving a telling off from Louis van Gaal after missing an easy chance in a 2–0 defeat against
1. FC Kaiserslautern
1. Fußball-Club Kaiserslautern e. V., also known as 1. FCK, FCK (), FC Kaiserslautern (), K'lautern or colloquially Lautern (), is a German sports club based in Kaiserslautern, Rhineland-Palatinate. In addition to Association football, football ...
in August.
He was philosophical about this dip in form, though,
and after eight league games without a goal, he scored in a 4–1 win against
Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt e.V. () is a German professional sports club based in Frankfurt, Hesse. It is best known for its football club, which was founded on 8 March 1899. The club currently plays in the Bundesliga, the top tier of the German footb ...
on 27 November; He followed that by scoring in consecutive league and cup wins against
VfB Stuttgart
Verein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart 1893 e. V. (), commonly known as VfB Stuttgart (), is a German professional sports club based in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. The club's Association football, football team is currently part of Germany's f ...
three weeks later. These goals took his tally to eight goals in all competitions
and included a spectacular goal to open the scoring in a 2–0 Champions League victory against
Roma on 15 September.
As his team was on its winter break, Müller was left to reflect on what he described as "an almost unbelievable first year as a pro".
Müller began the second half of the season in good form, but was involved in an altercation with teammate Arjen Robben, who was angered when Müller showed his displeasure at a poor free-kick Robben took during a 3–1 win at Werder Bremen. Müller again played in every game of the season
and scored 19 goals (12 in the league), but the season was less successful for Bayern, as they finished third in the league, and were knocked out of the DFB-Pokal in the semi-finals by Schalke 04 and in the
round of 16
A single-elimination knockout, or sudden-death tournament is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of a match-up is immediately eliminated from the tournament. Each winner will play another in the next round, until the final match-up, w ...
of the UEFA Champions League by Inter Milan; Bayern had won 1–0 at the
San Siro
San Siro is a football stadium in the San Siro district of Milan, Italy. It has a seating capacity of 75,817, making it the largest stadium in Italy and one of the largest stadiums in Europe. It is the home stadium of the city's principal ...
, and Müller scored 31 minutes into the second leg to make it 3–1 on aggregate, but Inter levelled the score at 3–3 in the 88th minute to go through on the
away goals rule
The away goals rule is a method of tiebreaking in association football and other sports when teams play each other twice, once at each team's home ground. Under the away goals rule, if the total goals scored by each team are equal, the team that ...
. Müller's mentor Van Gaal was increasingly criticised for inflexibility in tactical, transfer and selection policy, and ultimately lost his job, being replaced with
Jupp Heynckes.
2011–12 season
In Bayern's first
DFB-Pokal
The DFB-Pokal (), also known as the German Cup in English language, English, is a German knockout Association football, football cup competition held annually by the German Football Association (DFB). Sixty-four teams participate in the competiti ...
game Müller was awarded the man of the match after earning two penalties which were converted by
Mario Gómez
Mario Gómez García (; born 10 July 1985) is a German former professional Association football, footballer who played as a Forward (association football)#Striker, striker. He represented the Germany national football team, Germany national team ...
and Bastian Schweinsteiger, Müller then added a third in the closing stages to secure a 3–0 victory over
Eintracht Braunschweig. It took Müller five matches for him to get his first league goal; he scored it against Schalke 04 in Bayern's 2–0 win. Müller then scored in Bayern's next home game in the early stages of the match, which they went on to win, 3–0. On 26 November 2011, Müller netted the opener on the half-hour in Bayern's 6–0 thrashing of
FC Ingolstadt, giving him his second DFB-Pokal goal. Müller was on the short-list of this year's
FIFA Ballon d'Or
The FIFA Ballon d'Or ("Golden Ball") was an annual association football award presented to the world's best men's player from 2010 to 2015. Awarded jointly by FIFA and ''France Football'', the prize was a merger of the FIFA World Player of the Y ...
award. On 10 and 15 January, in Bayern's warm up friendlies, Müller scored three goals in two games, a brace against the
India national team (which Bayern then went on to win 4–0) and one goal in Bayern's other 4–0 victory over
Rot-Weiß Erfurt. Müller provided two assists in Bayern's win over VfB Stuttgart in the DFB-Pokal.
On 11 February, Bayern played 1. FC Kaiserslautern and Müller ended a goal drought lasting since 24 September 2011 with a header in their 2–0 victory. On 31 March 2012, Müller played his 100th Bundesliga game against
1. FC Nürnberg. On 19 May 2012, Müller scored the opening goal in the 83rd minute of the
Champions League final against
Chelsea with a powerful header, before being substituted for defender
Daniel Van Buyten moments later. Bayern, however, then conceded a late equaliser, and would go on to lose the final on penalties. Müller stated post match how dissatisfied he was about the amount of time he had spent on the bench recently,
although also expressed his desire to stay at Bayern in spite of this.
[ During the season, Müller had scored seven goals in 34 league matches, two goals in five German Cup matches, and two goals in 14 Champions League matches.]
2012–13 season
Müller's first Bundesliga
The Bundesliga (; ), sometimes referred to as the Fußball-Bundesliga () or 1. Bundesliga (), is a professional association football league in Germany and the highest level of the German football league system. The Bundesliga comprises 18 teams ...
goal of the season came over 2. Bundesliga champions SpVgg Greuther Fürth in Bayern's 3–0 victory on 27 August 2012. On 2 September, he netted a brace as Bayern thrashed southern rivals VfB Stuttgart, 6–1, in front of 71,000 at the newly expanded Allianz Arena
Allianz Arena (; known as Munich Football Arena for UEFA competitions) is a Association football, football stadium in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, with a 70,000 seating capacity for international matches and 75,000 for domestic matches. Widely kno ...
. Müller helped Bayern achieve a record-breaking start to the league season, when he netted a brace over newly promoted Fortuna Düsseldorf
Düsseldorfer Turn- und Sportverein Fortuna 1895 e.V., commonly known as Fortuna Düsseldorf (), is a Football in Germany, German football club based in Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, that competes in the 2. Bundesliga.
Founded in 1895, Fo ...
on 20 October in their 5–0 victory, recording Bayern's eighth successive win. Three days later, he scored his first Champions League goal of the season, netting from the penalty spot, as Bayern defeated Lille
Lille (, ; ; ; ; ) is a city in the northern part of France, within French Flanders. Positioned along the Deûle river, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, region, the Prefectures in F ...
1–0 at the French side's newly built Grand Stade Lille Métropole.
On 13 December, after his good run of form in the first half of the Bundesliga season, Müller pledged his allegiance claiming he was at home in Munich and that, "There is no club to step up from when you leave FC Bayern... there almost is no better club." Six days later, he signed a two-year contract extension, keeping him at the Allianz Arena until 2017. At the winter break in the Bundesliga, he had nine goals and seven assists in 16 league appearances and a further three goals in the Champions League; this gave him a total of 13 goals halfway through the season, including his strike against Borussia Dortmund in Bayern's win in the 2012 DFL-Supercup. Müller scored his first goal in Bayern's second game back from the break in a 2–0 away win over VfB Stuttgart. Müller tapped in his fifth goal of the Champions League campaign on 2 April, completing a 2–0 first leg defeat of Juventus
Juventus Football Club (; from , ), commonly known as Juventus or colloquially as Juve (), is an Italian professional Association football, football List of football clubs in Italy, club based in Turin, Piedmont, who compete in Serie A, the ...
in the quarter-finals, ending the Italian club's 18-match unbeaten record in Europe.
On 23 April 2013, Müller scored two goals and gave an assist in a 4–0 win against Barcelona
Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...
in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals at the Allianz Arena. In the return fixture at the Camp Nou
Camp Nou (), meaning ''New Field'' and often referred to in English as the Nou Camp, is a stadium in Barcelona and the home of La Liga club FC Barcelona since its opening in 1957. It is currently undergoing renovation, and with a planned increa ...
, Müller scored a header as Bayern won 3–0 to hand Barcelona their biggest ever aggregate defeat in the Champions League, with a 7–0 scoreline across the two matches. Müller then went on to play an important role in Bayern's 2–1 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the final
Final, Finals or The Final may refer to:
*Final examination or finals, a test given at the end of a course of study or training
*Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which d ...
. On 1 June, Müller scored a penalty in the final of the 2012–13 DFB-Pokal as Bayern won the cup 3–2 against VFB Stuttgart
Verein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart 1893 e. V. (), commonly known as VfB Stuttgart (), is a German professional sports club based in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. The club's Association football, football team is currently part of Germany's f ...
to complete a historic treble. Müller scored 23 goals during the season across all competitions, netting 13 in the Bundesliga, one in the Pokal, and an impressive eight in the Champions League, he also scored one goal in the 2012 DFL-Supercup as Bayern won the match 2–1.
2013–14 season
Müller began the 2013–14 season under new manager Pep Guardiola by playing in the German Super Cup. On 5 August, Müller scored a hat-trick as Bayern won 5–0 in the team's 2013–14 DFB-Pokal first-round game against Schwarz-Weiß Rehden. In Bayern's opening 2013–14 Bundesliga fixture, Müller missed a penalty for the first time. Seconds later, the save from the penalty flicked the hand of Álvaro Domínguez which resulted in another penalty which David Alaba converted. After this, Müller stated, "I am still happy to take penalties, but I think David Alaba is the main man for spot kicks for now." He played in the UEFA Super Cup
The UEFA Super Cup is an annual super cup Association football, football match organised by UEFA and contested by the winners of the two main European club competitions: the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League. The competition's offic ...
.
On 25 September, against Hannover 96
Hannoverscher Sportverein von 1896, commonly referred to as Hannover 96 (), is a German professional association football, football club based in the city of Hanover, Lower Saxony. They played in the Bundesliga for a total of 30 years between 19 ...
in the second round of the DFB-Pokal, Müller scored twice taking his cup tally to five goals in just two games. On 28 September, Müller scored the only goal in a 1–0 victory over VfL Wolfsburg, giving him his first goal in the 2013–14 Bundesliga. Müller scored his first 2013–14 UEFA Champions League goal of the campaign and Bayern defeated Manchester City
Manchester City Football Club is a professional association football, football club based in Manchester, England, that competes in the Premier League, the English football league system, top flight of Football in England, English footbal ...
3–1 at the City of Manchester Stadium
The City of Manchester Stadium, currently known as Etihad Stadium for sponsorship reasons, and commonly shortened as The Etihad, is the home of Premier League club Manchester City F.C., Manchester City, with a domestic football capacity of 53, ...
on 2 October. He later played in the FIFA Club World Cup final which ended in a 2–0 win over Raja Casablanca
Raja Club Athletic, widely known as Raja Casablanca or simply Raja, is a Football team, football club based in Casablanca, Morocco, that competes in Botola, the top flight of Moroccan football league system, Moroccan football.
Founded on 20 M ...
.
On 9 April, Müller scored Bayern's second goal in a 3–1 second leg defeat of Manchester United
Manchester United Football Club, commonly referred to as Man United (often stylised as Man Utd) or simply United, is a professional association football, football club based in Old Trafford (area), Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, Engl ...
in the Champions League quarter-finals. On 17 May 2014, He scored Bayern's second goal in a 2–0 extra-time defeat of Borussia Dortmund in the 2014 DFB-Pokal Final, giving ''die Roten'' the tenth league and cup double in their history. Müller finished as the tournament's top scorer with eight goals in five appearances. He finished the season by scoring 13 goals in 31 league matches, eight goals in five DFB-Pokal matches, and five goals in 12 Champions League matches.
2014–15 season
After the 2013–14 season, Müller signed a new contract keeping him at Bayern until 2019 and rejected a contract offer from Manchester United
Manchester United Football Club, commonly referred to as Man United (often stylised as Man Utd) or simply United, is a professional association football, football club based in Old Trafford (area), Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, Engl ...
. Müller played in the DFL-Supercup
The Franz Beckenbauer Supercup or ''German Super Cup'' is a one-off association football, football match in Germany that features the winners of the Bundesliga championship and the DFB-Pokal. The competition is run by the Deutsche Fußball Liga (E ...
, which was Bayern's first match in the 2014–15 season. Bayern lost the match 2–0. His first goal of the season was against Preußen Münster in the DFB-Pokal
The DFB-Pokal (), also known as the German Cup in English language, English, is a German knockout Association football, football cup competition held annually by the German Football Association (DFB). Sixty-four teams participate in the competiti ...
on 17 August 2014. Then in the opening match of the Bundesliga, on 22 August 2014, Müller scored the opening goal of Bayern's Bundesliga season against VfL Wolfsburg. Bayern went on to win the match 2–1.
On 11 March 2015, Müller scored two goals against Shakhtar Donetsk in a 7–0 win to draw level with former teammate Mario Gómez as the top-scoring German player in UEFA Champions League history. He subsequently became the leader when he scored in a 6–1 win against Porto on 21 April 2015. He finished the season with 13 goals in 32 league matches, a goal in five DFB-Pokal matches, and seven goals in ten Champions League matches.
2015–16 season
Müller started the season by playing in the DFL-Supercup
The Franz Beckenbauer Supercup or ''German Super Cup'' is a one-off association football, football match in Germany that features the winners of the Bundesliga championship and the DFB-Pokal. The competition is run by the Deutsche Fußball Liga (E ...
against VfL Wolfsburg. He started the league season with two goals against Hamburger SV, a goal against 1899 Hoffenheim, two goals against Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer 04 Leverkusen, officially known as Bayer 04 Leverkusen Fußball GmbH () and commonly known as Bayer Leverkusen or simply Leverkusen, is a German professional football club based in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia. It competes in the B ...
, and a goal against FC Augsburg
Fußball-Club Augsburg 1907 e. V., commonly known as FC Augsburg (), is a Football in Germany, German professional football club based in Augsburg, Bavaria. FC Augsburg play in the Bundesliga, the top tier of the German football league system. T ...
in the first four matchdays. He had scored from the penalty spot against Bayer Leverkusen and Augsburg. He failed to score in his next three Bundesliga matches. He failed to convert a penalty shot against Mainz 05 on matchday seven. His next Bundesliga goal came when he scored two goals against Borussia Dortmund on matchday eight. One of the goals was scored from the penalty spot. His goalscoring continued in other competitions. He scored two goals against Wolfsburg in the second round of the DFB-Pokal
The DFB-Pokal (), also known as the German Cup in English language, English, is a German knockout Association football, football cup competition held annually by the German Football Association (DFB). Sixty-four teams participate in the competiti ...
, and in Champions League, two goals against Olympiacos, two goals against Arsenal
An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostly ...
, and a goal in the return leg against Olympiacos. In scoring in the home win over Olympiacos, Müller became the youngest player to win 50 UEFA Champions League games, beating the record of Lionel Messi
Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi (; born 24 June 1987) is an Argentine professional Association football, footballer who plays as a forward (association football), forward for and Captain (association football), captains both Major League Soccer ...
by 14 months.
On 9 December 2015, Müller came on as a 46th-minute substitute for Franck Ribéry in a 2–0 win against Dinamo Zagreb. He failed to convert his penalty shot in the match and finished the group stage with five goals from six appearances. On 18 December 2015, Müller signed a new contract with Bayern, keeping him at the club until 2021. On 19 December 2015, Bayern defeated Hannover 96 1–0 with a goal from the penalty mark from Müller. Bayern went on winter break after the match. Müller finished the first half of the league with 14 goals from 17 appearances. This includes scoring five goals from the penalty mark in six opportunities. He had scored 21 goals in 25 appearances in all competitions up until the winter break.
On 12 March 2016, Müller scored a brace in a 5–0 victory over Werder Bremen. Four days later, with Bayern trailing Juventus 1–2 in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16, he scored a 91st-minute equaliser before Bayern won in extra time 4–2 (6–4 aggregate). On 19 April 2016, Müller scored both goals in Bayern's 2–0 defeat of Werder Bremen in the DFB-Pokal semi-final. His first goal of the match was his 150th for the club in all competitions. On 3 May 2016, Müller had a penalty kick saved by Jan Oblak in the Champions League semi-final second leg at home to Atlético Madrid
Club Atlético de Madrid, S.A.D. (; meaning "Athletic Club of Madrid"), commonly referred to as Atlético Madrid or simply Atlético, is a Spanish professional football club based in Madrid that plays in La Liga. The club play their home game ...
. The match ended in a 2–1 win for Bayern but the team was knocked out on the away goals rule. He finished the season by scoring 20 goals in 31 league matches, 4 goals in 5 German Cup matches, and 8 goals in 12 Champions League matches. He didn't score in the German Super Cup. With 32 goals in all Competitions, this was Müller's most prolific season to date.
2016–17 season
Müller started the season by winning and scoring in the 2016 German Super Cup against Borussia Dortmund on 14 August 2016. In the league, Müller did not score for 999 minutes until he scored during a home game against VfL Wolfsburg in the 76th minute. He finished the 2016–17 season by scoring five goals in 29 Bundesliga
The Bundesliga (; ), sometimes referred to as the Fußball-Bundesliga () or 1. Bundesliga (), is a professional association football league in Germany and the highest level of the German football league system. The Bundesliga comprises 18 teams ...
appearances, no goals in three German Cup appearances, and three goals in nine Champions League appearances. Müller also provided 12 assists in the Bundesliga.
Several German football experts like Lothar Matthäus
Lothar Herbert Matthäus (; born 21 March 1961) is a German association football, football pundit and former professional player and manager. He captained Germany national football team, West Germany to victory in the 1990 FIFA World Cup and was ...
blamed manager Carlo Ancelotti
Carlo Ancelotti (; born 10 June 1959) is an Italian professional football manager and former player who is the manager of the Brazil national team. Nicknamed "Carletto" in Italy and "Don Carlo" in Spain, he is regarded as one of the greatest ...
for Müller's struggles in front of the goal. Ancelotti often preferred Thiago Alcântara as the player playing behind the striker, Müller's prime position. Müller was often benched for the important matches in Europe and in the Bundesliga.
2017–18 season
Müller started the 2017–18 season by playing in the 2017 German Super Cup. He played in the opening 67 minutes before being replaced by Kingsley Coman. His first goal of the season was against Mainz on matchday four of the Bundesliga
The Bundesliga (; ), sometimes referred to as the Fußball-Bundesliga () or 1. Bundesliga (), is a professional association football league in Germany and the highest level of the German football league system. The Bundesliga comprises 18 teams ...
. On 21 January 2018, he scored two goals against Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga, with his second goal in the match being his 100th in the competition.
On 20 February 2018, Müller scored two goals against Beşiktaş
Beşiktaş () is a district and municipality of Istanbul Province, Turkey. Its area is 18 km2 and its population is 175,190 (2022). It is located on the European shore of the Bosphorus strait. It is bordered on the north by Sarıyer and ...
in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16. On 17 April 2018, Müller scored a hat-trick in Bayern's 6–2 defeat of Bayer Leverkusen in the DFB-Pokal semi-finals. Overall, Müller scored eight goals and provided 14 assists in 29 league matches.
2018–19 season
Müller started the 2018–19 season by starting in the German Super Cup. Müller scored in the first two matchdays in the Bundesliga season. He scored in the second round of the German Cup against SV Rödinghausen. He scored two goals against Fortuna Düsseldorf
Düsseldorfer Turn- und Sportverein Fortuna 1895 e.V., commonly known as Fortuna Düsseldorf (), is a Football in Germany, German football club based in Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, that competes in the 2. Bundesliga.
Founded in 1895, Fo ...
in the Bundesliga on 24 November 2018. On 12 December 2018, Müller played his 105th Champions League match in a match against Ajax
Ajax may refer to:
Greek mythology and tragedy
* Ajax the Great, a Greek mythological hero, son of King Telamon and Periboea
* Ajax the Lesser, a Greek mythological hero, son of Oileus, the king of Locris
* Ajax (play), ''Ajax'' (play), by the an ...
and therefore leveling former club legend Philipp Lahm
Philipp Lahm (; born 11 November 1983) is a German former professional Association football, footballer who played as a Full back (association football), full-back. Widely regarded as one of the greatest full-backs of all time, Lahm was the longt ...
as the record appearance holder in the Champions League at Bayern. In that same match, Müller was sent off for the first time in his career for a straight red card. This resulted in a two-match suspension.
On 15 December 2018, Müller made his 300th Bundesliga appearance for Bayern against Hannover 96. On 18 May 2019, Müller won his seventh consecutive Bundesliga title as Bayern finished two points above Dortmund with 78 points. It was Müller's eighth Bundesliga title. A week later, He won his fifth DFB-Pokal as Bayern defeated RB Leipzig
RasenBallsport Leipzig e.V. (), commonly known as RB Leipzig or informally as Red Bull Leipzig, is a German professional association football, football club based in Leipzig, Saxony. The club was founded in 2009 by the initiative of the company ...
3–0 in the 2019 DFB-Pokal Final.
2019–20 season
On 2 November 2019, Müller made his 500th competitive appearance for Bayern, becoming the 10th Bayern player to reach this mark since the club's promotion to the Bundesliga in 1965. The following month, he became the first-ever player to register 11 assists in the first half of a Bundesliga season, achieving the new record in his side's 2–0 win over Wolfsburg. On 7 April 2020, Müller pegged a contract extension keeping him at Bayern until 2023. He recorded his 20th assist of the Bundesliga season in an away match against Bayer Leverkusen on matchday 30, breaking the record for most assists in a season, previously held by Kevin De Bruyne and Emil Forsberg. He provided another assist in an away match against Wolfsburg on Matchday 34, to finish off the season with a record of 21 assists.
On 14 August, Müller scored a brace and assisted another in the 2019–20 UEFA Champions League quarter-final match against Barcelona, which ended in an 8–2 win. Later on, Bayern won 1–0 over Paris Saint-Germain
Paris Saint-Germain Football Club, commonly referred to as Paris Saint-Germain () or simply PSG, is a French professional Association football, football club based in Paris. They compete in Ligue 1, the French football league system, top d ...
in the final
Final, Finals or The Final may refer to:
*Final examination or finals, a test given at the end of a course of study or training
*Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which d ...
, which marked the club's sixth Champions League title and Müller's second Champions League title. He finished the season by scoring 8 goals in 33 league matches, two goals in six German Cup matches, and 4 goals in 10 Champions League matches.
2020–21 season
On 18 September 2020, Müller scored his first goal of the season, and provided one assist, in an emphatic 8–0 league win over Schalke 04. He later managed to win both the UEFA Super Cup
The UEFA Super Cup is an annual super cup Association football, football match organised by UEFA and contested by the winners of the two main European club competitions: the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League. The competition's offic ...
and the DFL-Supercup
The Franz Beckenbauer Supercup or ''German Super Cup'' is a one-off association football, football match in Germany that features the winners of the Bundesliga championship and the DFB-Pokal. The competition is run by the Deutsche Fußball Liga (E ...
with the latter being his 27th trophy of his club career; hence, he became the most decorated footballer in German history, breaking the previous record of 26 trophies won by his former Bayern teammate Bastian Schweinsteiger. On 11 February 2021, Müller tested positive for COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
and went into quarantine
A quarantine is a restriction on the movement of people, animals, and goods which is intended to prevent the spread of disease or pests. It is often used in connection to disease and illness, preventing the movement of those who may have bee ...
; hence, could not play in the 2020 FIFA Club World Cup Final. However, Bayern went on to win the final 1–0 against Mexican side Tigres UANL
Club Tigres de la Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, abbreviated as Tigres UANL and simply known as Tigres or internationally as Tigres de México, is a Mexican professional Association football, football club based in the Monterrey metropo ...
which completed their continental sextuple. On 8 May, Müller won his ninth consecutive Bundesliga title as Bayern finished the league in first place with 78 points, 13 points ahead of second-placed Borussia Dortmund. It was Müller's 10th Bundesliga title overall.
2021–22 season
On 17 August 2021, Müller scored his first goal of the season, and provided one assist, in a 3–1 away win against Borussia Dortmund in the 2021 DFL-Supercup. On 19 November, Müller made his 600th appearance for Bayern in a 2–1 loss to Augsburg, becoming the fourth overall appearance maker behind Sepp Maier, Gerd Müller and Oliver Kahn. On 8 December, Müller scored his 50th goal in the UEFA Champions League against Barcelona in a 3–0 win, becoming only the 8th player in the competition's history to do so.
On 17 December, Müller played his 400th match in the Bundesliga, scored one goal and assisted another in a 4–0 home win over Wolfsburg. On 23 April 2022, following a 3–1 win against Dortmund in Der Klassiker, Bayern won their 10th consecutive Bundesliga title, in the process, making Müller the player with the most Bundesliga title wins in history with 11. On 3 May, Müller extended his contract with Bayern, keeping him at the club until the end of the 2023–24 season.
2022–23 season
On 1 April 2023, Müller scored a brace in a 4–2 win over Dortmund as Bayern regain top position in the league. Eventually, Bayern won their 11th consecutive Bundesliga title on goal difference ahead of Dortmund; meanwhile, Müller extended his record by winning his 12th league title overall. He finished the season by scoring 8 goals in 40 matches in all Competitions.
2023–24 season
On 18 August 2023, Müller came off the bench in the 84th minute in a 4–0 away win over Werder Bremen in the opening match, in which he managed to participate in 16 Bundesliga seasons to become the first player to achieve this feat at the club. On 20 September, he featured in a 4–3 win over Manchester United in the opening match of the Champions League, to become the third player to reach 100 wins in the competition, after Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro (; born 5 February 1985) is a Portuguese professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Forward (association football), forward for and Captain (association football), captains both Saudi Pr ...
and Iker Casillas. On 19 December 2023, he extended his contract with Bayern until 30 June 2025.
On 3 February 2024, Müller became the first player to reach 500 wins with Bayern in a 3–1 league victory over Borussia Mönchengladbach
Borussia Verein für Leibesübungen 1900 e.V. Mönchengladbach, better known as Borussia Mönchengladbach () and colloquially known as just Gladbach, is a professional Association football, football club based in Mönchengladbach, North Rhine-W ...
. On 6 April, he featured in his 700th match for Bayern in a 3–2 away loss against Heidenheim. On 30 April, he played his 150th Champions League match in a 2–2 draw against Real Madrid
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (), commonly referred to as Real Madrid, is a Spanish professional Football club (association football), football club based in Madrid. The club competes in La Liga, th ...
in the semi-finals, becoming the third player to achieve this feat with one club, following Xavi Xavi () is a Catalan given name, usually used as a nickname for Xavier. Notable people with the name include:
Football
* Xavi Hernández (born 1980), Spanish football manager and former player
* Xavi Andorrà (born 1985), Andorran footballe ...
and Iker Casillas. On 8 May, in the return leg, he featured in his 151st game, matching Xavi's record of most matches for one club in the competition. On the final matchday of the season, he equaled Sepp Maier's record of most Bundesliga appearances for Bayern with 473 matches. He finished the season by scoring 7 goals in 41 matches in all competitions.
2024–25 season
On 16 August 2024, Müller scored his club's first goals of the season, by netting a brace in a 4–0 away win over Ulm in the DFB-Pokal
The DFB-Pokal (), also known as the German Cup in English language, English, is a German knockout Association football, football cup competition held annually by the German Football Association (DFB). Sixty-four teams participate in the competiti ...
. On 25 August, he played in the league opening match against Wolfsburg, reaching a record of 474 Bundesliga appearances with the club, in addition to equaling Sepp Maier's record of 709 competitive appearances for Bayern. On 1 September, on the second matchday against Freiburg
Freiburg im Breisgau or simply Freiburg is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, fourth-largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg after Stuttgart, Mannheim and Karlsruhe. Its built-up area has a population of abou ...
, he set a new record for the most appearances for Bayern, reaching a total of 710 matches across all competitions while scoring his team's second goal, which also marked his 150th in the Bundesliga. On 17 September, he featured in his 152nd Champions League match which ended in a 9–2 victory over Dinamo Zagreb, breaking previous record of Xavi as the player with most appearances for one club in the competition. On matchday six of the UEFA Champions League, Müller scored his first goal of the competition's season in a 5–1 away victory over Shakhtar Donetsk. This meant he had scored in sixteen Champions League seasons, catching up with Ryan Giggs and Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro (; born 5 February 1985) is a Portuguese professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Forward (association football), forward for and Captain (association football), captains both Saudi Pr ...
; only Lionel Messi
Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi (; born 24 June 1987) is an Argentine professional Association football, footballer who plays as a forward (association football), forward for and Captain (association football), captains both Major League Soccer ...
and Karim Benzema
Karim Mostafa Benzema (born 19 December 1987) is a French professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Striker (association football), striker for and Captain (association football), captains Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad Clu ...
scored in more seasons. On 20 December 2024, Müller became the first player in history to win 350 Bundesliga matches, in a 5–1 home victory against RB Leipzig
RasenBallsport Leipzig e.V. (), commonly known as RB Leipzig or informally as Red Bull Leipzig, is a German professional association football, football club based in Leipzig, Saxony. The club was founded in 2009 by the initiative of the company ...
.
In late March 2025, reports emerged that his contract with Bayern would not be renewed. On 5 April, it was confirmed that Müller would leave Bayern at the end of the season
A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's axial tilt, tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperat ...
, bringing his 25 years with the club to an end. In his first match after his departure was announced, Müller came on as a substitute and scored a late equaliser in a 2–1 loss against Inter Milan
Football Club Internazionale Milano, commonly referred to as Internazionale () or simply Inter, and colloquially known as Inter Milan in English-speaking countries, is an Italian professional Association football, football List of football ...
in the Champions League quarter-finals first leg. He would captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
his team for full 90 minutes in the second leg, marking his 163rd Champions League appearance, tieing Lionel Messi for third-most appearances in UCL history. The match would end in a 2–2 draw, eliminating Bayern out of the competition and marking Müller's last ever Champions League match for his side. On 26 April, he featured in his 500th Bundesliga match in a 3–0 victory over Mainz.
He eventually secured his 13th Bundesliga title, extending his own record, and in doing so, equaled Ryan Giggs' record for the most titles in the top five European leagues. Additionally, he matched the record for the most decorated German player, sharing the achievement of 34 titles with Toni Kroos. On 10 May, he played his 750th match for Bayern Munich and his final match at the Allianz Arena in a 2–0 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach, marking the occasion by lifting the league trophy. On 15 June, he scored twice in Bayern's 10–0 win over Auckland City, marking his 250th goal for the club in their opening match of the FIFA Club World Cup
The FIFA Club World Cup (FIFA CWC) is an international men's association football competition organised by the ''Fédération Internationale de Football Association'' (FIFA), the sport's global sports governing body, governing body. The compe ...
.
International career
Müller represented Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
at various youth levels, starting with the under-16s in 2004. In August 2009, he was called up to the under-21 team for his debut in a 3–1 friendly defeat against Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
. He earned six caps for the under-21s and scored one goal, the eighth in an 11–0 thrashing of San Marino
San Marino, officially the Republic of San Marino, is a landlocked country in Southern Europe, completely surrounded by Italy. Located on the northeastern slopes of the Apennine Mountains, it is the larger of two European microstates, microsta ...
.
In October of the same year, Müller's regular appearances for Bayern's first team caused Germany national team manager
Management (or managing) is the administration of organizations, whether businesses, nonprofit organizations, or a government bodies through business administration, nonprofit management, or the political science sub-field of public administra ...
Joachim Löw to publicly consider him for a call-up, despite initial reluctance from the Bayern Munich board; the following month, Müller was named in the squad for a friendly against the Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire and officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital city of Yamoussoukro is located in the centre of the country, while its largest List of ci ...
. However, this coincided with the death of national team goalkeeper
In many team sports that involve scoring goal (sport), goals, the goalkeeper (sometimes termed goaltender, netminder, GK, goalie, or keeper) is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by blocking or i ...
Robert Enke, which led to the cancellation of a match against Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...
the same week. With less opportunity to try out new players, and with the under-21 team facing crucial qualifiers for the 2011 European Championship, Löw and under-21 manager Rainer Adrion felt that Müller was needed at the under-21 level, and Müller was called back into the under-21s.
He was back in the senior squad for its next get-together, a training session in Sindelfingen in January 2010, and was named in the squad for the following match, a friendly against Argentina
Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
in March. He made his debut in this game in the starting XI at the Allianz Arena, his home stadium with Bayern. He was substituted in the 66th minute for fellow debutant Toni Kroos as Germany lost 1–0.
2010 FIFA World Cup
Müller was named in Germany's provisional 27-man squad
In military terminology, a squad is among the smallest of Military organization, military organizations and is led by a non-commissioned officer. NATO and United States, U.S. doctrine define a squad as an organization "larger than a fireteam, ...
for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for List of men's national association football teams, men's national Association football, football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010. ...
along with seven other Bayern Munich players. Despite suffering a scare when he fell off his bicycle at the team's training camp in South Tyrol
South Tyrol ( , ; ; ), officially the Autonomous Province of Bolzano – South Tyrol, is an autonomous administrative division, autonomous provinces of Italy, province in northern Italy. Together with Trentino, South Tyrol forms the autonomo ...
, Müller only received superficial injuries and made the final cut for the tournament when the squad was reduced to 23 players. He was allocated the number
A number is a mathematical object used to count, measure, and label. The most basic examples are the natural numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and so forth. Numbers can be represented in language with number words. More universally, individual numbers can ...
13, normally worn by injured captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
Michael Ballack
Michael Ballack (; born 26 September 1976) is a German former professional footballer. He was selected by Pelé as one of FIFA's 100 Greatest Living Players, and as the UEFA Club Midfielder of the Year in 2002. He won the German Footballer of ...
, and previously worn by Müller's eponym Gerd Müller. He earned his second international cap in the final warm-up match before the World Cup when he came on as a half-time substitute for Piotr Trochowski in a 3–1 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...
. He started the first game of Germany's World Cup campaign and scored the third goal – his first internationally – in a 4–0 win over Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
, winning Germany's goal of the month award in the process.
Müller played in all Germany's group games, as they finished top of Group D Group D may refer to:
* FIA Group D - International Formula racing cars:
** Formula Two
** Formula Three
** Formula 3000
* One of six or eight groups of four teams competing at the FIFA World Cup
** 2022 FIFA World Cup Group D
** 2018 FIFA Worl ...
; he scored twice and assisted once in the 4–1 victory over England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
in the round of 16. In the third minute of Germany's 4–0 quarter-final win against Argentina, he opened the scoring with his fourth tournament goal. However, he picked up his second booking of the tournament in the first half, for a handball
Handball (also known as team handball, European handball, Olympic handball or indoor handball) is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each (six outcourt players and a goalkeeper) pass a ball using their hands with the aim of thr ...
and was suspended for the semi-final defeat against Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
. Müller said that he felt far more nervous during the Spain game than any he was able to play. He returned to the team for the third-place playoff against Uruguay
Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast, while bordering the Río de la Plata to the south and the A ...
and scored the first goal, his fifth of the tournament, as Germany won 3–2 to take the bronze medals. The team's success was a culmination of a series of changes made after the national team's failure at Euro 2000
The 2000 UEFA European Football Championship, also known as Euro 2000, was the 11th UEFA European Championship, a football tournament held every four years and organised by UEFA, the sport's governing body in Europe.
The finals tournament was ...
. The Germans emphasized a more open, attack-minded style not previously associated with Germany, and included prominent young players, including Müller, Sami Khedira
Sami Khedira (; ; born 4 April 1987) is a German former professional Association football, footballer who played as a central midfielder.
He began his career at VfB Stuttgart, winning the Bundesliga in 2007, before moving to Real Madrid CF, Re ...
and Mesut Özil
Mesut Özil (, ; born 15 October 1988) is a German former professional association football, footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. Known for his ball control, technical skills, creativity, passing skills, and vision, he is widely re ...
.
With five goals, Müller ended as joint top goalscorer of the tournament. He earned the Golden Boot with these goals and his three assists. He also won the Best Young Player Award over fellow nominees André Ayew of Ghana
Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...
and Giovani dos Santos
Giovani dos Santos Ramírez ( ; born 11 May 1989) is a Mexican former professional Association football, footballer. A versatile Forward (association football), forward, dos Santos played as an Midfielder#Attacking midfielder, attacking midfi ...
of Mexico
Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
. For both awards, he succeeded a German teammate, Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski
Lukas Josef Podolski (; born Łukasz Józef Podolski, , 4 June 1985) is a professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Forward (association football), forward or attacking midfielder for Ekstraklasa club Górnik Zabrze. He is kno ...
, respectively, from 2006
2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification.
Events
January
* January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute.
* January 12 – A stampede during t ...
.
In October 2010, he was named on the shortlist
A short list or shortlist is a list of candidates for a job, prize, award, political position, etc., that has been reduced from a longer list of candidates (sometimes via intermediate lists known as "long lists"). The length of short lists varie ...
for the FIFA Ballon d'Or award along with four of his Germany teammates. Reflecting on his World Cup success, Müller said "I basically got lucky, I hit form at just the right time".
UEFA Euro 2012
Müller started all ten of Germany's Euro 2012 qualifiers, as the team qualified for the finals with a 100% record. Müller provided assists for seven goals, three of which came in a 6–2 win over Austria
Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...
in September 2011 which secured Germany's qualification for the finals with two games to spare. He scored three times in the campaign, two goals coming in a 4–0 win over Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country primarily in Central Asia, with a European Kazakhstan, small portion in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the Kazakhstan–Russia border, north and west, China to th ...
in March 2011, the third in a 3–1 win over Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
in October of the same year.
Müller was included in Joachim Löw's squad for Euro 2012, where the Germans were knocked out in the semi-finals by Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
.
2014 FIFA World Cup
Müller scored his first World Cup qualifying goals on 22 March 2013, getting Germany's opener and final goal in a 3–0 away win over Kazakhstan. He also scored in the 3–0 victories over Austria and the Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands ( ) (alt. the Faroes) are an archipelago in the North Atlantic Ocean and an autonomous territory of the Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark. Located between Iceland, Norway, and the United Kingdom, the islands have a populat ...
to give him four goals in Germany's successful qualification campaign.
On 16 June 2014, in Germany's opening match of the 2014 World Cup, Müller scored the first hat-trick of the tournament and was named man of the match in a 4–0 win against Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
. In addition, he was also the target of Pepe's headbutt in the 37th minute, which resulted in the Portuguese defender being sent off. He denied that he had "overplayed" the situation leading to the red card. On 26 June, Müller scored the only goal of the final group match against the United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
to help the Germans win Group G Group G may refer to:
* A set of international motor racing regulations used in touring car racing
Touring car racing is a motorsport road racing competition that uses race-prepared touring cars. It has both similarities to and significant dif ...
and dispelled fear of collusion between German coach Joachim Löw and American coach Jürgen Klinsmann to play to a result that benefited both Germany and the US as had occurred in 1982
Events
January
* January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00).
* January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C. ...
.
On 8 July, Müller scored Germany's opening goal in their 7–1 semi-final defeat of Brazil. This was Germany's 2,000th goal in its history, and put Müller level with Helmut Rahn
Helmut Rahn (16 August 1929 – 14 August 2003), known as ''Der Boss'' (The Boss), was a German footballer who played as a Forward (association football), forward. He became a legend for having scored the winning goal in 1954 FIFA World Cup Fin ...
's tally of ten World Cup goals. Müller also became only the third player to score at least five goals in each of his first two World Cups (after Teófilo Cubillas and teammate Miroslav Klose).
On 11 July, Müller was named on the ten-man shortlist for FIFA's Golden Ball award for the tournament's best player. After playing all 120 minutes of Germany's final
Final, Finals or The Final may refer to:
*Final examination or finals, a test given at the end of a course of study or training
*Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which d ...
1–0 victory against Argentina, Müller received the Silver Boot as the tournament's second-top goalscorer with five goals, and was also named in the World Cup All-Star XI, having played a major role in his team's World Cup triumph.
UEFA Euro 2016
Müller featured in nine of ten matches during Germany's qualifying campaign for UEFA Euro 2016
The 2016 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2016 (stylised as UEFA EURO 2016) or simply Euro 2016, was the 15th UEFA European Championship, the quadrennial international men's association football, football ch ...
, scoring nine goals as Germany topped their qualifying group to qualify for Euro 2016.
Müller started in all six matches that Germany played at the finals. In their quarter-final match against Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
, Müller's shot was the first one to be saved in the penalty shoot-out
The penalty shootout is a method of determining a winner in sports matches that would have otherwise been drawn or tied. The rules for penalty shootouts vary between sports and even different competitions; however, the usual form is similar to pe ...
during the tournament. This was also the first time Germany failed to score in a shoot-out since Uli Stielike missed in the 1982 World Cup. Germany would still end up winning the shoot-out 6–5, however. Müller's poor run of form throughout the tournament hindered Germany's chances, and they would be eliminated by hosts France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
in the semi-finals. Müller exited the competition without adding a goal to his name at the European Championship.
2018 FIFA World Cup
Müller was selected in Germany's final 23-man squad by manager Joachim Löw for the 2018 FIFA World Cup
The 2018 FIFA World Cup was the 21st FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for national association football, football teams organized by FIFA. It took place in Russia from 14 June to 15 July 2018, after the country was awarded t ...
. Müller played in all three matches for Germany against Mexico
Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
, Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
and South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...
. Müller started against Mexico and Sweden, but came on as a substitute against South Korea. Müller did not manage to score a goal as Germany crashed out of the World Cup at the group stage for the first time since 1938
Events
January
* January 1 – state-owned enterprise, State-owned railway networks are created by merger, in France (SNCF) and the Netherlands (Nederlandse Spoorwegen – NS).
* January 20 – King Farouk of Egypt marries Saf ...
following a shock loss to South Korea.
Exclusion from the national team
On 5 March 2019, national team coach Joachim Löw confirmed that he would plan without Müller for the foreseeable future, along with his club teammates Jérôme Boateng and Mats Hummels
Mats Julian Hummels (; born 16 December 1988) is a German former professional Association football, footballer who played as a centre-back. Known for his well-timed tackles, accurate long passes from the back, aerial ability and strength, he is r ...
. Müller said after the decision that he was "angry and surprised" why Löw decided to drop him and his Bayern teammates. However, after Löw later admitted in March 2021 that he was considering reversing his decision and allowing the previously barred players to partake in the upcoming UEFA Euro 2020
The 2020 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2020 or simply Euro 2020, was the 16th UEFA European Championship, the Anniversary#Latin-derived numerical names, quadrennial international men's association footb ...
, Müller insisted he was "definitely ready" to return to international duty, stating his desire to win another title with Germany.
Return to the national team and UEFA Euro 2020
On 19 May 2021, Müller, along with Hummels, was included in Germany's final 26-man squad for UEFA Euro 2020
The 2020 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2020 or simply Euro 2020, was the 16th UEFA European Championship, the Anniversary#Latin-derived numerical names, quadrennial international men's association footb ...
, ending a period of over two years of exclusion from the national team. In the Euro 2020 round of 16, Müller missed a one-on-one chance against England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
when the score was 1–0 for the latter; however, England went on eventually to beat Germany 2–0. Hence, Müller played 15 matches in the European Championship without scoring any goals.
2022 FIFA World Cup
In November 2022, he was selected in the final squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup
The 2022 FIFA World Cup was the 22nd FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for national football teams organized by FIFA. It took place in Qatar from 20 November to 18 December 2022, after the country was awarded the hosting ri ...
in Qatar
Qatar, officially the State of Qatar, is a country in West Asia. It occupies the Geography of Qatar, Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it shares Qatar–Saudi Arabia border, its sole land b ...
. Müller played in all three matches for Germany against Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
, Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
and Costa Rica
Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica, is a country in Central America. It borders Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the northeast, Panama to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, as well as Maritime bo ...
, but failed to find the net as Germany were eliminated in the group stage for the second time in a row following an upset comeback loss to Japan, stalemate against Spain, and a 4–2 win against Costa Rica that ultimately proved meaningless.
UEFA Euro 2024 and retirement
Müller was named in Germany's squad for UEFA Euro 2024. In the team's opening match against Scotland
Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
on 14 June, he came on as a substitute for Jamal Musiala in the 74th minute and assisted Emre Can's fifth goal of the 5–1 win. He later featured as a substitute in the quarter-finals against Spain, which ended in a 2–1 defeat after extra time.
On 15 July 2024, Müller announced his retirement from international football. He scored 45 goals in 131 international appearances.
Style of play
Müller is a versatile player. In Bayern’s youth system, he primarily played as a midfielder
In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in t ...
, but since joining the first team, he has played as an attacker
{{For, the term "attacker" in computer security, Hacker (computer security), Adversary (cryptography), Adversary (online algorithm)
In some team sports, an attacker is a specific type of player, usually involved in aggressive play. Heavy attacker ...
. Bayern Munich usually plays a 4–2–3–1 formation, and Müller usually plays as one of the three attacking midfielder
In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. ...
s behind the central striker, but he can also play as a second striker.
Although he lacks physical strength, Müller has been praised for his tactical intelligence, finishing, and positioning. Former Germany manager Joachim Löw said he is "impervious to pressure" and former Bayern manager Louis van Gaal
Aloysius Paulus Maria "Louis" van Gaal (; born 8 August 1951) is a Dutch former association football, football player and former manager who currently serves as an advisor for AFC Ajax, Ajax. At club level, he served as manager of AFC Ajax, Aj ...
said he has tremendous mental strength. Müller is heavily involved in buildup play and he has been praised by the media for his intelligent movement off the ball; he describes himself as a player who can find spaces in the opposition defence but not particularly good at dribbling or one-on-ones. Müller describes this role as ''Raumdeuter'', a term which translates, literally, to "space interpreter".
During the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Löw said Müller "is a very unorthodox player and you can't really predict his lines of running, but he has one aim and that is 'how can I score a goal?. In addition to his offensive capabilities, Müller has also been praised by pundits for his stamina and defensive work-rate. Former Bayern assistant coach Hermann Gerland gave him the nickname ''Radio Müller'' for his loud and frequent comments on the pitch and in the dressing room.
Personal life
Müller was born in Weilheim in Oberbayern, Bavaria. He was raised in the nearby village of Pähl, which became the centre of media attention during his World Cup campaign. His parents are Klaudia and Gerhard, and he has a brother, Simon, who is two and a half years younger.
Müller married his long-time girlfriend Lisa Trede, a semi-professional equestrienne who works on a farm, in December 2009 after being engaged for two years. In June 2011, he became an ambassador for ''YoungWings'', a charity that helps children who have suffered bereavement or trauma.
Career statistics
Club
International
:''Scores and results list Germany's goal tally first.''
Notes
Honours
Bayern Munich
*Bundesliga
The Bundesliga (; ), sometimes referred to as the Fußball-Bundesliga () or 1. Bundesliga (), is a professional association football league in Germany and the highest level of the German football league system. The Bundesliga comprises 18 teams ...
: 2009–10, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2024–25
*DFB-Pokal
The DFB-Pokal (), also known as the German Cup in English language, English, is a German knockout Association football, football cup competition held annually by the German Football Association (DFB). Sixty-four teams participate in the competiti ...
: 2009–10, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2018–19, 2019–20
*DFL-Supercup
The Franz Beckenbauer Supercup or ''German Super Cup'' is a one-off association football, football match in Germany that features the winners of the Bundesliga championship and the DFB-Pokal. The competition is run by the Deutsche Fußball Liga (E ...
: 2010
The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
, 2012
2012 was designated as:
*International Year of Cooperatives
*International Year of Sustainable Energy for All
Events January
*January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins.
* January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...
, 2016
2016 was designated as:
* International Year of Pulses by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly.
* International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU) by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Internationa ...
, 2017
2017 was designated as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations General Assembly.
Events January
* January 1 – Istanbul nightclub shooting: A gunman dressed as Santa Claus opens fire at the ...
, 2018
Events January
* January 1 – Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after the Estonian presidency.
* January 4 – SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Chan Garang Lual start a raid against Juba, capital of ...
, 2020
The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...
, 2021
Like the year 2020, 2021 was also heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the emergence of multiple Variants of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 variants. The major global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, which began at the end of 2020, continued ...
, 2022
The year began with another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, Omicron spreading rapidly and becoming the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide. Tracking a decrease in cases and deaths, 2022 saw ...
*UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League (UCL) is an annual club association football competition organised by the UEFA, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) that is contested by List of top-division football clubs in UEFA countries, top-divisio ...
: 2012–13, 2019–20
*UEFA Super Cup
The UEFA Super Cup is an annual super cup Association football, football match organised by UEFA and contested by the winners of the two main European club competitions: the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League. The competition's offic ...
: 2013
2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years).
2013 was designated as:
*International Year of Water Cooperation
*International Year of Quinoa
Events
January
* January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...
, 2020
The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...
*FIFA Club World Cup
The FIFA Club World Cup (FIFA CWC) is an international men's association football competition organised by the ''Fédération Internationale de Football Association'' (FIFA), the sport's global sports governing body, governing body. The compe ...
: 2013
2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years).
2013 was designated as:
*International Year of Water Cooperation
*International Year of Quinoa
Events
January
* January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...
, 2020
The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...
Germany
*FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often called the World Cup, is an international association football competition among the senior List of men's national association football teams, men's national teams of the members of the FIFA, Fédération Internatio ...
: 2014
The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...
; third place: 2010
The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
*UEFA European Championship
The UEFA European Football Championship, less formally the European Championship and informally the Euro or Euros, is the primary association football tournament organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). The competition ...
third place: 2012
2012 was designated as:
*International Year of Cooperatives
*International Year of Sustainable Energy for All
Events January
*January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins.
* January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...
Individual
* FIFA World Cup Golden Boot: 2010
The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
* FIFA World Cup Best Young Player: 2010
The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
* FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2010
The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
* FIFA World Cup Silver Boot: 2014
The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...
* FIFA World Cup Silver Ball: 2014
The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...
* FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2014
The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...
* FIFA World Cup Dream Team: 2014
The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...
* World Soccer Young Player of the Year: 2010
* Bravo Award: 2010
* VDV Bundesliga Newcomer of the Season: 2010
* DFB-Pokal top scorer: 2010
The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
, 2014
The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...
* Bavarian Order of Merit: 2019
*UEFA Super Cup
The UEFA Super Cup is an annual super cup Association football, football match organised by UEFA and contested by the winners of the two main European club competitions: the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League. The competition's offic ...
Man of the Match: 2020
The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...
*UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2019–20
*Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2017–18, 2019–20, 2020–21
*Bundesliga Player of the Month: January 2022
*Bundesliga Goal of the Month: August 2024
* VDV Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2009–10, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2020–21
*'' kicker'' Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2012–13, 2015–16, 2019–20, 2020–21
* Bayern Munich Player of the Season: 2021–22
See also
* List of UEFA Champions League top scorers
*
* List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps
In association football, a cap is traditionally awarded in international football to a player making an official appearance for their national team. This article lists all men's football players who have played in 100 or more official internat ...
* List of one-club men in association football
This article is a list of one-club men, sportsmen who have played their entire professional career with only one club, in Association football, football.
Retired players
:''Players must have been at their club for a minimum of ten years to be i ...
References
External links
*
Profile
at the FC Bayern Munich website
*
*
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Muller, Thomas
1989 births
Living people
People from Weilheim-Schongau
Footballers from Upper Bavaria
German men's footballers
Germany men's youth international footballers
Germany men's under-21 international footballers
Germany men's international footballers
Men's association football midfielders
Men's association football forwards
Men's association football utility players
FC Bayern Munich II players
FC Bayern Munich footballers
Regionalliga players
3. Liga players
Bundesliga players
UEFA Champions League–winning players
2010 FIFA World Cup players
UEFA Euro 2012 players
2014 FIFA World Cup players
UEFA Euro 2016 players
2018 FIFA World Cup players
UEFA Euro 2020 players
2022 FIFA World Cup players
UEFA Euro 2024 players
FIFA World Cup–winning players
FIFA Men's Century Club
21st-century German sportsmen