Bayern Munich's 20-year-old striker Thomas Müller is creating a huge buzz throughout Germany. He has received praise from various top level football personalities in Germany and many feel Müller is close to being nominated for the German senior national team.
120 Goals In One Season
Müller was born on September 13, 1989 in Weilheim, southern Germany between Ammer and Starnberger Lake about 40 kilometers from Munich. During the 1997-98 season, Müller scored 120 goals of 165 for his E-Youth club TSV Pahl.
Transfer To Bayern In 2000
In June 2000, Müller was lured away from Pahl to the D-Youth team of Bayern Munich. He worked his way through the ranks with the German powerhouse to the A-Youth in 2007 and helped Bayern finish runners-up with 18 goals in 26 games. During the 2007-08 season, Müller played three games and scored one goal for the Bayern amateur side in the South Regional League. He debuted the next season in the newly-formed Third division, playing 32 games and scoring 15 goals.
Bundesliga Debut Under Klinsmann
Müller made his Bundesliga debut on August 15, 2008 against Hamburg. And in February 2009, Bayern blocked interest in Müller from Hoffenheim and offered him a professional contract until 2011 for about 700,000 euros a season. He had a total of four Bundesliga appearances during the 2008-09 season.
Champions League Debut, Goal
On March 10, 2009 Müller made his Champions League debut, getting subbed in after 72 minutes for Bastian Schweinsteiger during Bayern's Round of 16 return leg against Sporting Lisbon. Müller assisted on one goal and scored the final goal in the 7-1 victory at home.
Wild Start To 2009
Müller's 2009-10 season started in wild fashion. He scored twice for Bayern in their 4-1 victory over AC Milan in the pre-season Audi Cup. He was subbed in the first three games of the season and set up a goal against Mainz in Week 3. Against Borussia Dortmund he scored two goals and assisted a goal the next week against Nuremberg. Against Freiburg, Müller had a goal and an assist and he set up a goal against Eintracht Frankfurt for three goals and four assists in 10 Bundesliga appearances.
Müller also has two goals and two assists in three German Cup appearances, including a goal and two assists against Eintracht Frankfurt.
And in the Champions League, Müller has played the entire 90 minutes all three games and scored twice in Bayern's opening 3-0 win at Maccabi Haifa.
Praise From Many
Müller has drawn loads of praise after his hot start. Among those signing his praise was Gerd Müller - no relation. The legendary German striker in September 2009 criticized the current crop of German national team strikers. But Müller liked what he saw from the younger Müller, telling the German television station DSF on September 29, 2009: "The young guy is unbelievable, can play with right or left - just like me. He is quick and good with his head. He could go to the World Cup."
Bayern president Franz Beckenbauer told the German mass daily Bild on September 18, 2009: "The kid is a sensation. He played as a central striker in the amateur ranks. Now he can play in the midfield as well with his understanding of the game."
And Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told spox.com after the game against Maccabi Haifa: "We have a lot of very good players but the young Müller is a big surprise for all of us."
Talk Of Senior German National Team
All of the fine performances has also drawn attention from German national team coach Joachim Löw, who admitted that the was considering nominating Müller for the crucial World Cup qualifier against Russia. "We are observing the development of Müller," Löw told the Munich daily tz on September 24, 2009. Müller is a candidate for the German senior national team for Germany's friendly matches on November 14, 2009 against Chile and November 18, 2009 against Ivory Coast.
Bayern Want Patience Regarding Müller And National Team
With sights set on the November test matches, Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge asked if Löw could wait to nominate Müller. "We would really appreciate it if Joachim Löw would not test Thomas Müller until in March. Now is a little bit early. It would be better to wait three or four more months," Rummenigge told spox.com on October 20, 2009.
About Thomas Müller
Müller stands 1.86m and weighs 74 kilos. He plays with both feet and is strong in the air. He is engaged to his 20-year-old girlfriend Lila, with whom he has been together for nearly two years. Together with Lila, they own two horses and his favorite band is Kings of Leon.
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