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Thomas Müller

Müller with Bayern Munich in 2025

Personal information

Date of birth

13 September 1989 (age 35)

Place of birth

Weilheim in Oberbayern, West Germany

Height

1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)

Position(s)

Forward, attacking midfielder

Youth career

1993–2000

TSV Pähl

2000–2007

Bayern Munich

Senior career*

Years

Team

Apps

(Gls)

2007–2009

Bayern Munich II

(16)

2008–2025

Bayern Munich

503

(150)

International career

2004–2005

Germany U16

(0)

2007

Germany U19

(0)

2008

Germany U20

(1)

2009

Germany U21

(1)

2010–2024

Germany

131

(45)

Medal record

Men's football

Representing Germany
FIFA World Cup
Winner	2014 Brazil
Third	2010 South Africa
UEFA European Championship
Third	2012 Poland–Ukraine

*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15:21, 5 July 2025 (UTC)

Thomas Müller, born on September 13, 1989, is a German professional footballer. He is known for playing as an attacking midfielder or a second striker. Many people consider him one of the best players of his time. Müller is praised for his smart positioning, great finishing, and ability to create goals for his team. He also works very hard on the field.

Müller grew up in the youth system of Bayern Munich. He has played for the club his entire professional career. With Bayern, he won a record thirteen Bundesliga titles, which is Germany's top football league. He also won six German Cups (DFB-Pokals) and two UEFA Champions League titles. He joined the main team in the 2009–10 season. That year, Bayern won both the league and the cup, and reached the Champions League final.

In the 2012–13 season, Müller scored 23 goals. Bayern had a historic year, winning the league, cup, and Champions League. He also set a Bundesliga record for assists in a season with 21. Müller played 756 matches for Bayern, scoring 250 goals and providing 231 assists. He holds the record for most appearances for Bayern.

Müller also played for the German national team starting in 2010. At the 2010 FIFA World Cup, he scored five goals. Germany finished in third place, and Müller won the Best Young Player award and the Golden Boot as the top scorer. In the 2014 FIFA World Cup, he helped Germany win the trophy. He scored five goals and received the Silver Ball (second best player) and Silver Boot (second top goalscorer). He retired from international football after UEFA Euro 2024. Thomas Müller is one of the most successful German footballers ever, with 34 trophies.

Club Career Highlights

Starting Out in Football

Thomas Müller began playing football at a young age for TSV Pähl. When he was 10, he joined FC Bayern Munich, a big club in Germany. He moved up through Bayern's youth teams. In 2007, his under-19 team finished second in their league.

Joining Bayern Munich's Main Team

Müller first played for Bayern's reserve team in March 2008. He scored a goal in his very first game. The next season, he became a key player for the reserve team, scoring 15 goals.

First Steps with the Pros

In 2008, Müller started training with the main Bayern team. He made his first-team debut on August 15, 2008, in a Bundesliga match. He played three more league games that season. He also made his UEFA Champions League debut in March 2009, scoring a goal in a big 7–1 win. In February 2009, he signed his first professional contract with Bayern.

Becoming a Star in 2009–10

When Louis van Gaal became the coach, Müller became a regular player for Bayern. On September 12, 2009, he scored two goals against Borussia Dortmund in a 5–1 victory. A few days later, he scored two more goals in a Champions League game. He was named the Bundesliga Player of the Month.

In April 2010, he scored a hat-trick (three goals) against VfL Bochum. This helped Bayern win the German league title. Bayern also won the German Cup (DFB-Pokal) that season. Müller was the top scorer in the DFB-Pokal with four goals. Bayern reached the Champions League final but lost to Inter Milan. Müller played 52 matches and scored 19 goals in his first full season. He was voted the best newcomer of the season. Müller often said that coach Van Gaal was very important for his success.

Continuing to Shine

Müller signed a new contract with Bayern until 2015. He scored in the Supercup against Schalke 04, helping Bayern win 2–0. He played in almost every game during the 2010–11 season. He scored 19 goals, including 12 in the league. However, Bayern finished third in the league and were knocked out of the Champions League early.

Champions League Heartbreak in 2012

In the 2011–12 season, Müller scored his first league goal against Schalke 04. On May 19, 2012, he scored the first goal in the Champions League final against Chelsea. Bayern later lost the final on penalties. Müller scored seven goals in 34 league matches that season.

Winning the Treble in 2013

The 2012–13 season was amazing for Müller and Bayern. He scored two goals against VfB Stuttgart in a 6–1 win. He also scored his first Champions League goal of the season against Lille. In December, he signed a new contract until 2017.

On April 23, 2013, Müller scored two goals and assisted another in a 4–0 win against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals. Bayern won the two-game series 7–0. Müller then played a key role in Bayern's 2–1 win over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final. On June 1, Müller scored a penalty in the German Cup final. Bayern won 3–2, completing a historic treble (winning the league, cup, and Champions League). Müller scored 23 goals that season.

More Trophies and Goals

Müller continued his strong form in the 2013–14 season under new coach Pep Guardiola. He scored a hat-trick in the German Cup first round. He also scored in the Champions League against Manchester City. Bayern won the FIFA Club World Cup that year. Müller scored Bayern's second goal in the 2014 DFB-Pokal Final against Borussia Dortmund, helping Bayern win another double. He finished as the top scorer in the German Cup with eight goals.

In the 2014–15 season, Müller signed a new contract until 2019. He scored his first goal of the season in the German Cup. He also became the top-scoring German player in Champions League history. He finished the season with 13 league goals and seven Champions League goals.

Record-Breaking Seasons

The 2015–16 season was Müller's best for scoring. He scored two goals against Hamburger SV and two against Bayer 04 Leverkusen. He also scored two goals against Olympiacos and two against Arsenal in the Champions League. He became the youngest player to win 50 Champions League games. In December 2015, he signed a new contract until 2021. He scored 32 goals in all competitions that season.

In the 2016–17 season, Müller won the German Super Cup. He scored five goals in the Bundesliga and three in the Champions League. He also provided 12 assists in the league.

The 2017–18 season saw Müller score his 100th Bundesliga goal against Werder Bremen. He scored two goals against Beşiktaş in the Champions League. He also scored a hat-trick in the German Cup semi-finals against Bayer Leverkusen.

More League Titles

In the 2018–19 season, Müller played his 105th Champions League match for Bayern, matching Philipp Lahm's record. He also played his 300th Bundesliga game. Bayern won their seventh straight Bundesliga title, which was Müller's eighth overall. They also won the German Cup again.

The 2019–20 season was another historic one. Müller played his 500th game for Bayern. He broke the Bundesliga record for assists in a season with 21. On August 14, he scored two goals and assisted another in an amazing 8–2 Champions League win against Barcelona. Bayern went on to win the Champions League, giving Müller his second title in that competition.

Continuing to Make History

In the 2020–21 season, Müller helped Bayern win the UEFA Super Cup and the DFL-Supercup. This made him the most decorated German footballer ever with 27 trophies at the time. Bayern also won the FIFA Club World Cup, completing a "sextuple" (winning six trophies in one year). Müller won his 10th Bundesliga title overall.

In the 2021–22 season, Müller played his 600th game for Bayern. He scored his 50th Champions League goal, becoming only the 8th player to do so. He also played his 400th Bundesliga match. Bayern won their 10th straight Bundesliga title, making Müller the player with the most Bundesliga titles ever with 11. He extended his contract until 2024.

In the 2022–23 season, Müller scored two goals in a key 4–2 win over Borussia Dortmund. Bayern won their 11th straight Bundesliga title, and Müller extended his record to 12 league titles.

Final Seasons at Bayern

The 2023–24 season saw Müller become the first player to play in 16 Bundesliga seasons for Bayern. He also reached 100 wins in the Champions League, a feat only achieved by a few players. In December 2023, he extended his contract until June 2025. On February 3, 2024, Müller became the first player to reach 500 wins with Bayern. He played his 700th match for Bayern in April. He also played his 150th Champions League match, matching Xavi's record for most games for one club in the competition. He finished the season with 7 goals in 41 matches.

In the 2024–25 season, Müller scored two goals in the German Cup opener. On September 1, he set a new record for most appearances for Bayern with 710 matches. He also scored his 150th Bundesliga goal. He broke Xavi's record for most Champions League appearances for one club with 152 games. He scored in his 16th Champions League season, matching records held by legends like Ryan Giggs and Cristiano Ronaldo. On December 20, 2024, Müller became the first player to win 350 Bundesliga matches.

In April 2025, it was announced that Müller would leave Bayern at the end of the season after 25 years with the club. He scored a late goal in his first game after the announcement. He captained his team in his final Champions League match, reaching 163 appearances, tying Lionel Messi for third-most all-time. On April 26, he played his 500th Bundesliga match. On May 4, Müller secured his 13th Bundesliga title, extending his own record. He also matched Ryan Giggs' record for most titles in Europe's top five leagues. On May 10, he played his 750th and final match at the Allianz Arena, lifting the league trophy. On June 15, he scored two goals in Bayern's 10–0 win in the FIFA Club World Cup, reaching 250 goals for the club. His final appearance for Bayern was on July 5, 2025, in the Club World Cup quarter-finals.

International Career with Germany

Müller wore the number 13 for Germany, like legendary striker Gerd Müller.

Müller with Germany in 2011.

Müller in a Euro 2012 qualifying match.

Müller played for Germany's youth teams from 2004. He joined the under-21 team in 2009, scoring one goal in six games. In 2010, he was called up to the senior German national team. He made his debut against Argentina in March 2010.

2010 FIFA World Cup Success

Müller was chosen for Germany's squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He wore the number 13 jersey. He scored his first international goal in Germany's 4–0 win over Australia. He scored two goals in Germany's 4–1 victory over England in the round of 16. He scored again in the 4–0 quarter-final win against Argentina. He missed the semi-final due to a yellow card.

Müller returned for the third-place playoff against Uruguay, scoring his fifth goal of the tournament. Germany won 3–2 and took the bronze medals. With five goals and three assists, Müller won the Golden Boot as the top scorer. He also won the Best Young Player Award.

UEFA Euro 2012 and 2014 World Cup

Müller played in all of Germany's Euro 2012 qualifying games. He provided seven assists and scored three goals. Germany reached the semi-finals of Euro 2012 but lost to Italy.

Müller (number 13) celebrating with Germany after winning the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Müller scored four goals in Germany's successful qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. On June 16, 2014, he scored the first hat-trick of the tournament in a 4–0 win against Portugal. He scored the only goal in the final group match against the United States. On July 8, Müller scored Germany's first goal in their incredible 7–1 semi-final win over Brazil. This was Germany's 2,000th goal in history.

After playing all 120 minutes of Germany's 1–0 final victory against Argentina, Müller received the Silver Boot as the tournament's second-top goalscorer. He was also named in the World Cup All-Star XI.

Later International Tournaments

Müller scored nine goals in Germany's qualifying campaign for UEFA Euro 2016. He played in all six matches at the finals but did not score any goals. Germany was eliminated by France in the semi-finals.

Müller with Germany at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Müller was part of Germany's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He played in all three group matches but did not score. Germany was surprisingly knocked out in the group stage.

In March 2019, the national team coach decided not to include Müller in future plans. However, in May 2021, Müller was called back to the national team for UEFA Euro 2020. He played 15 matches in the European Championship without scoring.

He was also selected for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Müller played in all three matches but did not score. Germany was eliminated in the group stage for the second World Cup in a row.

Müller was named in Germany's squad for UEFA Euro 2024. He came on as a substitute in the opening match and assisted a goal in a 5–1 win over Scotland. He also played as a substitute in the quarter-finals, where Germany lost to Spain. On July 15, 2024, Müller announced his retirement from international football. He scored 45 goals in 131 international appearances for Germany.

How Thomas Müller Plays

Müller is a very flexible player. In Bayern's youth system, he mostly played as a midfielder. But for the main team, he often plays as an attacker. Bayern Munich usually uses a 4–2–3–1 formation. Müller often plays as one of the three attacking midfielders behind the main striker, or as a second striker.

Even though he isn't the strongest physically, Müller is praised for his smart thinking, good finishing, and knowing where to be on the field. Former Germany coach Joachim Löw said Müller is "impervious to pressure," meaning he handles pressure very well. Müller himself says he is good at finding open spaces in the opponent's defense. He calls this role Raumdeuter, which means "space interpreter."

During the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Löw said Müller "is a very unusual player and you can't really guess where he will run, but he has one goal: 'how can I score?'" Besides his attacking skills, Müller is also known for his great energy and helping out in defense. His former assistant coach at Bayern, Hermann Gerland, nicknamed him Radio Müller because he talks a lot on the field and in the locker room.

Personal Life

Müller was born in Weilheim in Oberbayern, Germany. He grew up in the nearby village of Pähl. His parents are Klaudia and Gerhard, and he has a younger brother named Simon.

Müller married his long-time girlfriend, Lisa Trede, in December 2009. Lisa is a semi-professional horse rider who works on a farm. In June 2011, Müller became an ambassador for YoungWings. This charity helps children who have experienced the death of a loved one or other difficult events.

Honours

Bayern Munich

Bundesliga: 2009–10, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2024–25
DFB-Pokal: 2009–10, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2018–19, 2019–20
DFL-Supercup: 2010, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022
UEFA Champions League: 2012–13, 2019–20
UEFA Super Cup: 2013, 2020
FIFA Club World Cup: 2013, 2020