When the fans beckoned their man of the match to them after the final whistle, Thomas Müller hesitated at first. Visibly moved, the 34-year-old looked at the banner that the supporters had put up especially for him in the Südkurve. “100% for FC Bayern 710 times with no end in sight – thank you, hats off and keep it up, Thomas!” it read for the record setter, who had just made club history with his appearance in the 2-0 win against Freiburg. In the end, Müller couldn't resist, climbing onto the fence and joining the fans in singing the evergreen “Olé, FC Bayern”.
After all, it was Müller who once again played a decisive role in Munich's victory in their first home game of the season. After Harry Kane's opening goal, the home side failed to seal the deal with another goal against the Black Forest side who played with courage. It was Müller who provided the answer around 20 minutes after being subbed on, scoring to make it 2-0 and give Bayern cause for celebration – so much so that even Manuel Neuer left the confines of his 18-yard box to join in with the fun. The captain sprinted across the entire pitch to congratulate his long-time teammate.
“Thomas deserved it”
“Unfortunately, I didn't manage to be the first [to congratulate him]. But Thomas simply deserved it. It was a special moment not just for him, but for everyone in the stadium,” said Neuer. “The goal speaks for itself and for Thomas Müller.” Müller already knew that it would be a special game for him: “I knew what was coming. Records aren't that important to me, it was more important to me to have scored a simply beautiful goal,” explained the attacker. “It was technically outstanding and then it also went in. That's what I enjoy.”
That probably applies not only to him personally, but to everyone who supports FC Bayern - including his teammates. Neuer and Co. also gave Müller a special reception in the dressing room after the final whistle and held up balloons in the shape of the number 710 to celebrate his record-breaking game. If Müller has his way, however, his teammates will soon have to swap one or two balloons. “There doesn't need to be an end in sight for me. I feel good,” the veteran revealed, adding that he’s beating his ticking biological clock.
Kompany: “He always gives 100 percent”
It is precisely this professional attitude that his coach values about Müller. “I witnessed his debut, back then as an opponent. Now we're 710 games on – it’s incredible,” said Vincent Kompany. “He not only gives 100 percent in games, but also in every training session. That's what makes Thomas so special. He might be 34, but it won’t stop here. There are still a lot of games left this season.”
Following the announcement of his retirement from the Germany national side, Müller now has some time to catch his breath during the international break before the season really gets underway with the start of the Champions League. Kompany and his coaching team also want to use the break to continue working with the team. “We always strive for a perfect game,” said the 38-year-old. Against Freiburg, his team played “dominantly” in the first half, “giving nothing away and having chances to score goals”, but were unable to maintain this level in the second half.
Momentum thanks to Müller
And so Kompany thanked his milestone man once more: “But luckily we have players with a lot of quality that we can bring off the bench. With Thomas Müller and Kingsley Coman, we turned the momentum around in our favour.” Well done, indeed, to those who have such a record-breaking player in their ranks.
Here are the facts and stats on Thomas Müller’s record-breaking career:
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