Etched in history: Thomas Müller received a special honour at the Allianz Arena ahead of kick-off in the Champions League match against Dinamo Zagreb. President Herbert Hainer and CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen presented the attacker with a hand-carved figure as well as a bouquet of flowers to mark his record-breaking appearance in the 2-0 win over SC Freiburg a fortnight ago. The icon was specially commissioned by the German record champions for their historic record breaker.
"Our long-time CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge once said that if you had to carve an FC Bayern player, you would have to commission Thomas Müller with the world-famous carvers of crucifixes in Oberammergau," recalled Dreesen. "The club has taken him up on that," explained Hainer. "We're incredibly proud of Thomas. He embodies everything that FC Bayern stands for: attachment to home, down-to-earthness and continuity, and he's loved all over the world. When you see him play, you can hear the Isar rushing and the beer mugs clinking at the Wiesn or in the beer garden."
"In over 710 games, you become an icon – for FC Bayern and beyond," Dreesen added. "Thomas Müller is just made of good stuff and is one of the outstanding figures in the history of FC Bayern. He stands for the 'M' in 'Mia san mia'. We're very pleased to be able to honour him tonight at our Allianz Arena."
We're incredibly proud of Thomas. He embodies everything that FC Bayern stands for: attachment to home, down-to-earthness and continuity, and he's loved all over the world. When you see him play, you can hear the Isar rushing and the beer mugs clinking at the Wiesn or in the beer garden.
Herbert Hainer
Thomas Müller is "without doubt in the same league as club icons like Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Müller", said Rummenigge of the record man. "It's no coincidence that Bayern enjoyed the most successful decade in its history with him. The fans love these figures who they can identify with. He grew up here and he speaks to fans from the heart, on and off the pitch. He's always got the most out of his talent and is not just made of good stuff as a character; true handicraft, made in Bavaria. He's a Bavarian icon, there's no one like him."
Carver Martin Reichart and artist Franz Schindler also joined the presentation on the turf of the Allianz Arena. Bayern invited the duo to the opening game of the Champions League campaign, with each of them receiving a UCL shirt signed by Müller with "710" on the back in honour of the record.
Eighty hours of work – plus another 20 for a first model made of plasticine – went into the carving of the 40-centimetre figure of lime wood. The colour was applied and dried alternately for a further week. "This was a very special commission, something you do maybe once in a lifetime," Reichart told FC Bayern members' magazine '51', which commissioned the figure in spring as Müller passed the 700-game mark and closed in on Sepp Maier's record of 709 competitive appearances for the Reds. "Müller radiates something," says the artist, whose workshop is only 20 minutes away from Müller's hometown of Pähl. "Self-confidence, ease, humour – his demeanour and facial expressions are so distinctive."
As a gilder, Schindler is responsible for the colour of the figure, which depicts Müller in an FC Bayern shirt, Haferl shoes, lederhosen and traditional jacket. "Thomas always fronts up to the cameras and explains why they've lost or won – I like that," he says about the record appearance maker.
In honour of his 710th appearance for the FC Bayern first team, club magazine '51' spoke to some of those who have accompanied Müller:
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