In his final game at the Allianz Arena, Thomas Müller celebrates winning his 13th Bundesliga title … More
The Bundesliga title is back in Munich. On Saturday, Bayern Munich received the Meisterschale after officially securing the title last Sunday following a 2-2 draw by second-placed Bayer Leverkusen against SC Freiburg. The result opened the door for Bayern to receive the title in what was the last home game for club icon Thomas Müller.
Indeed, Leverkusen’s draw against Freiburg last week meant that Bayern had secured the title before their 2-0 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach. As a result, the game very much had the atmosphere of a testimonial for Müller rather than a proper Bundesliga game.
It also didn’t help that earlier results meant that there wasn’t much on the line for Gladbach either. Six points out of Europe ahead of kick-off, the Foals had nothing to play for and at times it showed as Bayern won in front of 75,000 fans at a sold-out Allianz Arena thanks to goals by Harry Kane (31’) and Michael Olise (90’).
Olise, in fact, was by some distance the best player on the pitch. Not for the first time either this season. Signed for just €53 million ($59.6 million) from Crystal Palace ahead of the season, the French winger has scored 11 goals and 17 assists in the Bundesliga and was perhaps Bayern’s best player this season.
When it comes to filling the Müller void in the future, Olise will certainly play a major role. In fact, his goal, after a fabulous assist by Leroy Sané, was almost Mülleresque. But Olise alone won’t be able to replace the Bayern icon, which is why the Rekordmeister is now working hard on bringing in Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen.
That’s the future, though. The now should be all about Thomas Müller. Although the 35-year-old will still have the away game at Hoffenheim next week and the FIFA Club World Cup with Bayern in the United States this summer, today felt like the real goodbye party from the only club he has ever known.
Born in Weilheim in Oberbayern, Müller joined Bayern Munich’s youth setup from TSV Pähl in the summer of 2000. Nine years later, in the 2009/10 season, Müller would have his big breakthrough under head coach Louis van Gaal. That season, Müller scored 13 goals and 11 assists in 34 Bundesliga games.
Thomas Müller celebrated winning his final Bundesliga title with the Bayern Munich’s hardcore fans … More
“Müller always plays,” Van Gaal said about his wunderkind that season. With Raumdeuter Müller, Bayern Munich would also reach the Champions League final, where they lost 2-0 to Inter Milan. That summer, Müller also won the Golden Boot at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa as he was part of a young and exciting Germany side that would win the World Cup in Brazil four years later.
In retrospect, just one of many titles. Together with fellow World Cup winner Toni Kroos, Müller is the most decorated German player in history. Both players have won 34 trophies—a remarkable number.
Playing 750 games for Bayern (248 goals and 274 assists), Müller has won 13 Bundesliga titles, the Champions League twice, the DFB Pokal six times, the FIFA Club World Cup twice, and the UEFA Super Cup twice. On top of that, Müller has also managed an impressive 45 goals in 131 games for Germany.
With all that in mind, it was fitting that on Saturday, it would all end at the Allianz Arena with Müller lifting Die Meisterschale as the first Bayern player into the Munich night sky. Nominally, that honor was supposed to be bestowed upon Manuel Neuer, but the Bayern captain handed the trophy over to Müller.
Then after the game, Müller headed with the trophy to the Südkurve, the home of Bayern’s hardcore support to celebrate with them. What followed then was the usual Weißbier showers on the pitch. Müller’s last as a player as well.
“We all knew this moment would come,” Müller said in a goodbye speech on the pitch. “I’m happy we brought the title back to Munich. The appreciation you gave me is unique. 25 years at this club, the stadium has always been full—the development of the club has been impressive, I’m happy to have helped and contributed. We reached the top of European football. I want to thank the people who accompanied me throughout the years. I’ll miss the feeling of scoring goals in front of a full stadium, but especially the relationships with my teammates and coaches.”
So, what will happen next? There have been all sorts of rumors about Müller’s future. One option is Major League Soccer, but a move to LAFC isn’t as hot as it has been reported among transfer experts in Germany. Another option could be retirement or another league in Europe.
What about a return to Bayern? Müller seems predestined to follow the path of former club legends Uli Hoeneß, Franz Beckenbauer, and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who all returned to Bayern in leading roles in management. Future club president Thomas Müller? Don’t rule it out.