Müller believes he still has time with Bayern as farewell looms
Munich's Thomas Müller and Leipzig's Lukas Klostermann (r) in action during the German Bundesliga soccer match between RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich at Red Bull Arena. Hendrik Schmidt/dpa
Thomas Müller is convinced that he still has time left at Bayern Munich during the Club World Cup in the United States as his departure from his boyhood club looms.
Bayern have advanced to the knock-out stages of the competition, but every match from now on could be Müller's final game for the Bavarians.
Advertisement
"Yes, of course. But I've known that for a long time. It's still fun to play. Giving your all is fun. And when it's over, it's over!" Müller said.
The Bayern icon will leave the club after 25 years of service as his contract expires this summer and he wasn't given a new deal.
"The tournament is picking up speed now," he said as he hopes that the last 16 against Brazil's Flamengo on Sunday won't be the final stop. The goal is to reach the final on July 13 in New York.
"Of course, these win-or-go-home games are always edgy. You're kind of sitting on a packed suitcase. But I'm convinced we'll be here for some time."
Advertisement
His team-mates, especially long-serving players like Leon Goretzka, also "don't even want to think" about a Bayern without the unique Müller.
"I think we'll get sentimental soon enough," Goretzka said.
It's still unclear what Müller will do in the future away from Bayern. MLS club FC Cincinnati have said that they made an offer to have the 2014 World Cup champion in their squad.
Media reports also suggest that Müller could take a job as a TV pundit for the 2026 World Cup.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
35 minutes ago
US soccer great Tobin Heath hoping Club World Cup spurs more growth for game at home
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. -- Tobin Heath might know something about what makes soccer resonate within the U.S. Her resume, in part: She won NCAA titles in college at North Carolina, then went on to win two Olympic gold medals with the U.S. women's national team and two World Cup titles as well, all of that coming after she was inspired by the 1999 Women's World Cup. And so far, she thinks the Club World Cup could have a similar effect. Heath — who is working as part of FIFA's technical study group for the tournament, alongside the likes of former Arsenal coach Arsène Wenger, former German star and U.S. men's national coach Jurgen Klinsmann and others — said Saturday that a match she attended earlier this month between Bayern Munich and Boca Juniors, with a full and jammed stadium in South Florida playing host to that matchup, shows what could be possible in this country. 'As an American, it was one of the coolest experiences of my life to witness that passion and energy,' Heath — during a FIFA briefing with the technical group — said. 'It's something I never believed I could see in my own country. And the stadium was literally shaking. You could feel it, and the fans were absolutely incredible. So, I know the power of these home competitions. ... I know the power of these games in our country, to change the landscape of this game in our country.' The attendance for the games in the Club World Cup has varied widely; some stadiums are jammed, some pretty much empty. With the tournament entering the knockout round and some strong matchups ahead — including Lionel Messi and Inter Miami taking on his former team, Paris Saint-Germain, on Sunday in Atlanta — there should be plenty of good crowds throughout the remainder of the event, as FIFA looks to build momentum toward the World Cup that's coming to North America next year. 'This is a fantastic dress rehearsal for us,' Heath said. Only one U.S.-based team made the knockout stage: Messi's Inter Miami, though some wonder if that's a club that will have a true pronounced effect on soccer in this country. Messi is the biggest name in the sport and has an enormous following everywhere, one that obviously existed long before he came to Miami two years ago. 'Messi has not the best data of this tournament, but he's certainly the most influential player of this tournament — because without him Inter Miami would never qualify," Wenger said. The job of the technical study group is simple: watch all the matches, either live or on television (with the benefit of many screens and angles), assess style of play and determine what is making teams successful. The level of data collected from these matches is beyond deep; reports are more than 50 pages thick and measure everything from time it takes a team to recover possession after a giveaway to how hard players are sprinting at key times of a match. 'This tournament has blown me away,' Heath said. 'It's made me even more excited for the summer to come, and I couldn't be more proud of this country. It shows that football is deeply embedded and deeply personal to our country. I can't wait to see the growth.' FIFA is promising that fields for next year's World Cup will be in better condition than some used in this tournament. There have been comments — and in some cases, complaints — about conditions from European clubs, particularly about fields in Charlotte and Orlando, Wenger said. 'I've been personally on the pitch at Orlando,' Wenger said. 'It's not at the level that the European clubs are used to because it's not perfect, but that will be rectified for the World Cup next year.' Even the field at MetLife Stadium, which will play host to the Club World Cup final in two weeks, has been the source of discussion. 'The pitch is different turf, different grass than in Europe. In my opinion, the pitch was a little bit soft and not dry, but the ball was not traveling as fast as we are used to. This is my impression, my feeling," Borussia Dortmund coach Niko Kovac said after his team played a scoreless draw there earlier in the tournament against Fluminense.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
1 million empty seats have reportedly plagued the Club World Cup
The 2026 World Cup will descend upon North America next year, and FIFA will surely be hoping attendance is much stronger than the Club World Cup games taking place across the country this summer. The Associated Press estimated that Club World Cup group games this year have tallied one million empty seats combined, which puts real questions on how attendance will look for the World Cup next year amid real questions about the impact of Donald Trump's presidency on the event. CLUB WOE CUP: FIFA can blame its own arrogance for near-empty Club World Cup stadiums "About [56.7-percent] of publicly listed capacity was filled for the 48 group stage matches, which included crowds of 3,412 and 6,730 in Orlando, Florida; 5,282 and 8,239 in Cincinnati," the AP report read. "FIFA did not provide specific capacities for the tournament despite repeated requests from The Associated Press. "Total announced attendance was 1.67 million from 2.95 million capacity, an average of 34,746." FIFA provided a statement to the AP, stating that "the appetite of the tournament speaks for itself: fans from 168 countries have already purchased tickets ... a clear sign of global anticipation and reach." Even still, it's not an auspicious start to a huge year for soccer in the United Stated.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Chelsea agree deal for Dortmund's Gittens
Jamie Gittens is set to join Chelsea from Borussia Dortmund (LLUIS GENE) Chelsea are set to add England under-21 international winger Jamie Gittens to their forward line after agreeing a deal with Borussia Dortmund, according to reports on Saturday. Sky Sports said an agreement has been reached between the clubs, who are both competing at the Club World Cup in the United States. Advertisement The Blues will reportedly pay up to 65 million euros (£55 million, $76 million) for the 20-year-old, who had been in Chelsea's academy as a youth player. Gittens eventually moved to Manchester City's academy before signing for Dortmund in 2022. He made 107 appearances for the German giants, scoring 17 goals, 12 of which came in the Bundesliga and Champions League last season. Chelsea were in the market to bolster their wide options after refusing the chance to sign Manchester United's Jadon Sancho on a permanent deal after his loan spell at Stamford Bridge. Mykhailo Mudryk also remains provisionally suspended by the English Football Association after failing a drugs test. Advertisement Gittens would be Chelsea's fourth signing of the summer, joining striker Liam Delap, midfielder Dario Essugo and defender Mamadou Sarr. Brazilian rising star Estevao Willian, 18, will also join the Premier League giants after his Club World Cup campaign with Palmeiras. kca/jc
