Many football fans have wondered if Thomas Muller, the versatile Bayern Munich and Germany star, is related to Gerd Muller, the legendary striker who passed away in August 2021. The two players share a common surname, a club affiliation, and a knack for scoring goals, but are they actually family? Here is the truth behind the rumor.
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Who is Gerd Muller?
Gerd Muller was a German professional footballer who played for Bayern Munich and the West Germany national team from 1964 to 1981. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest goalscorers in the history of the sport, having scored 487 goals in 555 club games and 68 goals in 62 international games. He won numerous trophies with Bayern, including four Bundesliga titles, four DFB-Pokals, three European Cups, one UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, one Intercontinental Cup, and two European Cup Winners’ Cups. He also won the FIFA World Cup in 1974 and the UEFA European Championship in 1972 with West Germany, as well as the Ballon d’Or in 1970. He held the record for the most goals scored in a single World Cup with 14 until it was broken by Ronaldo in 2006 and later by Miroslav Klose in 2014. He was nicknamed “Bomber der Nation” or simply “Der Bomber” for his prolific and powerful finishing. He died on 15 August 2021 at the age of 75 after suffering from Alzheimer’s disease for several years.
Who is Thomas Muller?
Thomas Muller is a German professional footballer who plays for Bayern Munich and the Germany national team since 2008. He is a versatile player who can play as an attacking midfielder, a second striker, a centre forward, or on either wing. He is known for his positioning, teamwork, stamina, work-rate, and consistency in both scoring and creating goals. He has won a record twelve Bundesliga titles, six DFB-Pokals, eight DFL-Supercups, two UEFA Champions League titles, two UEFA Super Cups and two FIFA Club World Cups with Bayern. He also won the FIFA World Cup in 2014 and reached the semi-finals of the UEFA European Championship in 2012 and 2016 with Germany. He has scored 144 goals in 442 club games and 44 goals in 121 international games so far. He broke the Bundesliga record for assists by providing 21 in a season (a record jointly held with Lionel Messi in La Liga) in 2019-20. He wears number 25 for Bayern and number 13 for Germany.
No, Thomas Muller and Gerd Muller are not related. They have no blood or marital connection whatsoever. Thomas Muller’s father’s name is also Gerd Mueller but he is not the same person as the former striker who played for Bayern and West Germany. Gerd Muller was a youth coach at Bayern and helped develop Thomas Muller when he was a teenager. Other players that Gerd Muller mentored include Philipp Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger.
What is their relationship?
Thomas Muller and Gerd Muller had a respectful and friendly relationship as colleagues and admirers of each other’s talents. Thomas Muller has often expressed his gratitude and admiration for Gerd Muller’s guidance and legacy. He once said: “He’s going to be a great player” were Gerd Müller’s first words when he saw me play – I’ll never forget that.” He also said: “Gerd Müller was my idol when I was young. I always wanted to play like him.” Thomas Muller also paid tribute to Gerd Muller after his death by saying: “He was more than just a legend of FC Bayern München or German football – he was one of the greatest strikers of all time.” He also said: “He was always there for me with advice and support – I will miss him very much.”
Conclusion
Thomas Muller and Gerd Muller are two of the most successful and influential players in Bayern Munich and Germany’s history, but they are not related by blood or marriage. They had a close bond as mentor and protégé, as well as mutual respect and admiration for each other’s achievements. They both share a common surname, a club affiliation, and a knack for scoring goals, but they are not family. They are simply two legends of the game who happened to cross paths at Bayern Munich.
