ADVERTISEMENTThomas Müller will end his “incredible journey” with Bayern Munich this summer after 25 years at his boyhood club.
The 35-year-old midfielder, whose contract is set to expire after the season, announced this on Saturday in a joint statement with Bayern, saying he was not ready to leave.
On Instagram, Müller, 35, wrote that he respected Bayern’s decision not to offer him a new contract for next season “even if this did not reflect my personal wishes.”
Müller has helped Bayern win a record 12 Bundesliga titles and two Champions League crowns— 33 trophies in total, the team said. However, his playing time has been limited recently.
“It’s clear that today is not like any other day for me,” Müller said.
“My 25 years as an FC Bayern Munich player will come to an end in the summer. It’s been an incredible journey, shaped by unique experiences, great encounters, and unforgettable triumphs.”
Meanwhile, FC Bayern paid tribute to its record-breaking player.
“Thomas Müller is the definition of a Bavarian fairytale career; he grew up in Bavaria and with Bayern,” club president Herbert Hainer said.
“Nobody has won more Bundesliga titles, and 33 trophies in total so far speak volumes. He ranks among the most outstanding personalities in FC Bayern history,” he wrote on the club’s website.
Bayern said that the decision was made to bring the «unique career of the attacking player in the jersey of the German record champions to a close together in the summer after 25 years and a total of 33 titles to date.»
Last year, Müller retired from international football after the European Championship, having made 131 appearances for Germany.
The midfielder, who comes from Pähl in Upper Bavaria, joined FC Bayern’s youth academy in the summer of 2000 at the age of ten.
It was the beginning of a great success story, going on to win all the major titles and becoming the club’s record player with 743 competitive matches.
«What I want for my farewell should be clear: titles that we can celebrate together and moments that we will all remember positively for a long time to come,» said Muller.
«Over the next few weeks, we’ll do everything we can to bring the championship back to Munich and reach our long-awaited final Dahoam. Let’s tackle it together!» the player added.
ADVERTISEMENTBayern has said Müller’s final game with them will be at the FIFA Club World Cup in the US in June and July.
It is still unclear what comes next for the player. However, there has been recent speculation about a possible move to the US.
