FC Bayern: Thomas Müller breaks historic record, but what happens next?

His latest trick is psyllium husks. Thomas Müller is constantly looking for ways to optimize himself. He sprinkles the seeds into his muesli and the protein shakes that he makes in his house in Otterfing near Munich. They provide fiber and help regulate blood sugar levels.

Nutrition, breathing, sleep – few football professionals deal with topics like these as intensively as the crowd favourite from FC Bayern. Because he enjoys it and because he feels that he has a lot to do to be able to decide more games at the highest level at his age.

Müller will be 35 in September. His club’s first home game of this Bundesliga season against SC Freiburg was a very special one for him: when he came on as a substitute, he overtook goalkeeping legend Sepp Maier by one game. Müller has now played 710 games for Bayern across all competitions, more than anyone else. Maier, who was in the stadium against Freiburg, once said: “If I’m going to overtake anyone, it’s going to be a Bavarian.” His wish has now come true.

Müller is the last total Mia-San-Mia player in the Bayern squad

This is not the only reason why it is a special season for Müller, which has just begun. It could be his last for Bayern. The attacking professional’s contract ended on June 30, 2025. His national team career has just ended after 131 international matches. The next 33 match days could become a farewell tour.

Müller, the “space interpreter”, is the last total Mia San Mia player in the squad of the record champions – Mr. Bayern. The others, who developed from talents who grew up in the club to become world stars, are long gone or are active off the pitch: Bastian Schweinsteiger, Philipp Lahm, David Alaba, Holger Badstuber. The former Schalke player Manuel Neuer also identifies enormously with the club, but Müller’s is unique.

As a child he slept in FCB bed linen and joined FC Bayern’s youth team at an early age. As a budding professional he was close to moving to TSG Hoffenheim, and years later Manchester United offered him a hundred million euros. The then ManU coach Louis van Gaal, who promoted Müller in Munich, really wanted him. But Müller stayed. He is one of the few “one-club men” in world football – someone who only ever played for one club as a professional.

Recently there has been a lot of talk about a shake-up at Bayern, the club spent around 120 million euros on new players this summer. But Müller remains the face of the whole thing. He continues to have significant value for the team and the club, both in terms of sport and for the hierarchy in the squad and in terms of external representation. The eternal Müller is the spokesman and vice-captain.

Kompany is only three years older than Müller

Relegated to a substitute under Niko Kovac a few years ago, the 2014 world champion fought his way back. And his professional lifestyle, including psyllium husks, is paying off: Müller was decisive in the first two competitive games of the season. In the 4-0 DFB Cup win against SSV Ulm, the first two goals were scored within three minutes, and in the league opener against Wolfsburg, the score was 2-2 immediately after he came on as a substitute. Müller also set up the winning goal and amazed his colleague Serge Gnabry by winning a tackle: “I didn’t expect Tommy to get around that.” Sometimes he does things with his body, it’s crazy!” Superstar Harry Kane is also impressed: “He is one of the best football minds in the world. It’s a blessing to have him.”

The new Bayern coach Vincent Kompany is only three years older than Müller. They both get on well, but Müller still can’t really get used to his old role as a substitute and replacement for Kane, Jamal Musiala or newcomer Michael Olise, even in his 16th year as a professional. “I would prefer to be able to give this push a little earlier,” he said in Wolfsburg, “there are no friends with roles in football.” You have to be ready to give it your all every game.”

Whether he makes it to the starting line-up or not – one question will shape FC Bayern in the coming months: What will Müller do from June 30, 2025, the day his contract ends? The Champions League final will take place in the Munich stadium on May 31 next year. Winning the premier class in his “second living room” – there couldn’t be a better way for Müller to retire. He has already triumphed in the elite competition twice.

Müller has been receiving inquiries for months

According to information from WELT AM SONNTAG, Müller has been receiving inquiries from various areas for months and has numerous options for the period from next summer. A documentary about him will be released in 2025, and a camera team accompanied him for around two years for Amazon.

Müller is extremely valuable for the club’s image and marketing. He recently proved this again on the PR tour to Asia. His attempt to learn Korean on stage from teammate Minjae Kim was extremely entertaining and went viral. In times of crisis, he can at least take some of the pressure off with his sayings. If Müller ends his playing career after this season, Bayern will be missing a lot.

This was evident when Olise recently gave his introductory press conference: the 51 million Euro man hardly spoke, and after three minutes his bizarre appearance was over. It was one of the shortest press conferences in the history of the Bundesliga. Sponsors who pay a lot of money and place logos in the background are unlikely to be particularly happy about such appearances.

Anyone who speaks to honorary president Uli Hoeneß or current president Herbert Hainer about Müller quickly notices how hard the club is trying to keep the fan favorite at the club after his playing career. His exact role? Open. Operational business or representative? Many things are conceivable.

But Müller could also concentrate on his second passion: equestrian sport. He runs the Wettlkam estate with his wife Lisa and breeds horses. The stud farm is an EU insemination station for dressage horses, and Müller’s horse “Checker” just won the gold medal at the Olympic Games in Paris with show jumper Christian Kukuk.

For Hainer, only one thing is certain: “There will never be a player like Thomas Müller again,” says the president of FC Bayern.