It feels as though the time has flown by since Thomas Müller was regarded as one of the best up-and-coming talents in football. More than a decade later, he sits as one of the most decorated players in Europe, having won eight Bundesliga titles, five DFB-Pokals, the Champions League, and the FIFA Club World Cup. He is a one-club man, having played for Bayern Munich all throughout his career, and has amassed over 100 caps for the German national team, winning the World Cup in 2014.
It’s good news for football fans that the Bundesliga is set to get back underway. Football’s absence over the last couple of months has given fans of the sport a chance to reflect – to take stock of what it is that makes football so special, and to consider once more the greatest exponents of the beautiful game. And yet, despite the glittering titles mentioned above, there is a reluctance to place Müller among other players similarly decorated with titles.
Perhaps this comes down to his style of play. Müller is far from the most technically gifted of footballers, but rather he has forged his success through an innate knowledge of the game and a keen sense of positioning. So many of his goals are the result of pouncing on half-chances, or following up the efforts of teammates. He is blessed with a habit of showing up in the right place at the right time on the pitch, and while he may not have the supreme long-range strikes or intricate solo goals in his arsenal, few in the game are better at reading where chances may arise close to goal.
Müller’s work rate is another one of his greatest assets, but this can sometimes count against a player when considering his place in the pantheon of greats. We have a tendency to laud those players who make the game look effortless, who produce moments of magic with a minimum of fuss. Müller has more workmanlike qualities, but those should not deny him his spot among the best footballers of the modern era. After all, he has scored almost 200 goals for Bayern, and has a World Cup Golden Boot to his name as well.
There is also a feeling that Müller’s one-club status in some ways diminishes his impact on European football. There is a growing opinion among fans and pundits alike that players, particularly forwards, must prove themselves in different leagues and at different clubs if they’re to fully be recognised as one of the best players of their generation. Müller has spent his career in a team which is supremely dominant in German football and are the consistent favourites in Bundesliga betting with Betfair. For some, this suggests that he has been playing within his comfort zone throughout his whole career. Yet, it must be admitted that to maintain such high levels of performance, and contribute to a team on which pressure and expectations are always high, is a phenomenal achievement.
His goalscoring figures may have dropped slightly over the past few seasons, but Müller still has plenty left to give in the Bayern team. At 30, he is now one of the more experienced heads in the dressing room, despite it feeling like yesterday when he was a raw talent firing the team towards the 2010 Champions League Final. His lengthy career at the highest level of football deserves recognition, and although he may not be the most naturally gifted player to play the game, certain attributes will always transcend those of flair and impudence.
