With FC Bayern’s loss to PSG in the FIFA Club World Cup Quarterfinals, Thomas Müller has now played his last official game for the club. Müller will not be retiring, but seeing as his stint at FC Bayern is now over, it’s time to reflect on his extraordinary career at his childhood club.
Thomas Müller played a total of 17 seasons for FC Bayern’s first team, in which he managed to score 250 goals, distribute 235 assists and stack up a total of 756 appearances. He is the most decorated player in FC Bayern’s history, having won 33 major titles, including 13 Bundesliga titles and two Champions League titles. He also won the World Cup with Germany in 2014 and won the golden boot at the 2010 World Cup. Having played as an attacking midfielder for most of his career, Thomas Müller has been the glue in Bayern’s attack, exploiting his high football IQ and excellent decision-making in the final third. One of his greatest traits is his ability to use both feet in tough situations and not relying too heavily on his dominant right foot. Despite being an attacking player, Thomas Müller has a pass completion rate of about 75% across his whole career, which is exceptionally high for a player who is attempting very risky passes throughout most of the match. A proper team player, Thomas Müller has played a pivotal role in every season he’s been at the club, always adapting to what the team needed him to do and even accepting a less prominent role in his last few seasons at the club.
With him having officially left the club, the question arises of where he ranks amongst FC Bayern’s legends. So many great players have played for Bayern, but Gerd Müller and Franz Beckenbauer hold the top spots for the greatest players in the club’s history. Considering that Thomas Müller came through the ranks of FC Bayern’s academy, is their most decorated player ever and holds the record for the most appearances in the club’s history, Thomas Müller could debatably rank as the third-greatest player to have played for Bayern. Other players who are close to him are Manuel Neuer, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Robert Lewandowski or Oliver Kahn, but due to Thomas Müllers impact and marking of an era, he has a slight edge over them.
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