As usual, there will be no reception, no speeches, and no fuss when Der Bomber celebrates his 67th birthday this Saturday in peace and quiet. Gerd Müller does not want any fanfares, even if his life is still wrapped up with football and FC Bayern. The relationship between the Reds and Gerd Müller goes back over 40 years - and Germany’s record goalscorer is currently assistant coach of Bayern’s fourth division reserves.
Müller has no intention of retiring at 67 - and he doesn’t have to. “Gerd can work for as long as he wants. He doesn’t need a contract. As long as he wants to come to the training ground then he can work for us,” declared club president Uli Hoeneß a few years ago as he commented on his old friend’s birthday.
Gerd Müller was born on 3 November 1945 in Nördlingen in Bavaria. He went on to make the penalty box his workplace. His stats are exemplary and he had a unique and legendary instinct for scoring goals. The ultimate recognition came from his erstwhile, and even greater, team-mate Franz Beckenbauer. “All our successes would not have been possible without him. We owe him everything,” said the Kaiser.
Goals were Müller’s trademark - 68 in 62 internationals, 365 in 427 Bundesliga games, a grand total of 1,455 goals in 1,204 competitive and friendly matches. Gerd has never been able to provide an explanation of his success in front of goal: “I don’t know. You can’t learn it. You’ve got to have an instinct for it. You’ve got to be able to react quickly and shoot with both feet.”
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