Thomas Muller: An under-appreciated star of his generation

With a World Cup and Champions League medal to his name, Thomas Muller is a legend of German football despite being one of the most under-appreciated players of his generation, a generation full of footballing icons.

Muller has won it all in Germany and the fact that he is still putting in player of the match performances, like against Chelsea in a Champions League knockout game further proves his status as not only a Bayern Munich legend but a football legend. The World Cup winner's consistency should not be overlooked by football fans around the world who have seen him perform on the biggest of stages for over a decade.

The German international turns 31 this year but has not let old age play a part in his performances and is, in fact, enduring one of his most successful seasons in Munich. Muller has been directly involved in 26 goals this season, already more than last season, and will only add to that tally with plenty of games left in a season that may see Bayern Munich lift their 29th Bundesliga title.

It was 10 years ago that Thomas Muller ripped England apart in Bloemfontein. His movement between the lines for Bayern here still confuses opponents, his hunger and running still strong at 30. He's already created great chances for Coman/Lewandowski + hit the bar. 0-0 h-t #CHEBAY

— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) February 25, 2020

Muller himself has been part of 8 out of the 28 titles that Bayern Munich have won with 7 of those coming in the last 7 seasons, a record in Germany. Muller has played an integral role in securing this record with a hatful of crucial goals over the years.

In fact, the German international has recorded under 20 goal contributions in a single season just once which came in his debut campaign in Munich where he recorded 17. To put into context just how impressive this is, even Arjen Robben, who received most of the limelight over the likes of Muller in his career, failed to achieve 20 or more goal contributions in 4 out of his 10 seasons at the club.

Robben may have scored the winning goal in Bayern's famous Champions League victory in 2013, but it was Muller's brace in the semi-final thrashing of Barcelona that secured the German side's place in the final at Wembley, a final they went onto win 2-1.

Muller isn’t small & agile, isn’t rapid, not a flair dribbler & he ain’t your typical target man but his football IQ is so high that he always ends up in the right places at the right time that it makes up for all of the attributes he doesn’t possess, great footballer

— Don Martial (@Unitedevil1) February 25, 2020

Muller will hope to be at least 5 more years at the top, winning even more Bundesliga titles along the way and maybe even enjoy one more World Cup swansong. To conclude, Thomas Muller will go down as one of the most successful and technically gifted players of all time after scoring 115 goals in a Bayern Munich side that has won it all with their legendary forward at the heart of many world-class sides.

Note: All statistics as of February 26, 2020

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