Thomas Müller has made history on the football pitch. Now the FC Bayern attacking midfielder has received an award for his voluntary work off the pitch. On Tuesday, Ulrike Scharf, the Bavarian State Minister for Family, Labour and Community Affairs, awarded the 33-year-old the Bavarian State Medal for services to the community for his work as an ambassador with the Nicolaidis YoungWings Stiftung and his associated support for bereaved young people.
"This award is inspiring," said Müller after receiving the Bavarian State Medal for services to the community.
"As an ambassador, you support bereaved children and teenagers with all full commitment. It is particularly important for you to give children and teenagers courage and open up their perspectives through personal contact," was the citation from the state ministry to Müller. The Bayern player has achieved what many children can only dream of: "When you are involved with your favourite project it is the children and teenagers who are centre stage and not the World Cup winner. Thomas Müller is there for the children and teenagers and it gives them joy. That happiness makes life a little more beautiful."
Müller: "This award is inspiring"
Müller, who was honoured alongside 18 other people at the Hubertus Hall in Schloss Nymphenburg, said: “This award is inspiring. What every single person here does is incredible and exemplary." He says working as an ambassador with the children and teenagers makes him feel "brilliant" and today it is "almost a bit uncomfortable to sit among all the people who have been giving their support for such a long time." This type of community activity is a must for him, "and I'm sticking at it."
In addition to Müller, 18 other people were awarded the Bavarian State Medal on Tuesday.
The Nicolaidis YoungWings Stiftung Offers young bereaved – children, teenagers and young adults – individual help and advice after losing a loved one as well as long term bereavement support. Müller has been associated with the foundation for over ten years and supports it as an ambassador with calls for donations, charity Christmas auctions as well as regular charity golf tournaments.
The FC Bayern fan club‘Rollwagerl 93 eV’ was honoured by the Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder last week:
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