Bayern Munich's Thomas Müller makes yet more history with Bundesliga wins milestone
There's just no stopping Thomas Müller, with Bayern Munich's Bundesliga record-breaker at it again by edging past teammate Manuel Neuer to take the outright lead in terms of all-time wins in Germany's top flight with 323.
That winning grin was in evidence again, as it has been so many times before. This time Mainz succumbed to Bayern and their 34-year-old talismanic attacker, who just doesn't know when to stop. Tied on 322 Bundesliga victories with another legend of the game, Manuel Neuer, prior to the record champions' trip to the MEWA Arena, Müller went one better as Bayern collected a crucial three points in the defence of their title.
With Neuer edging ever closer to his comeback from a broken leg, the colossal custodian will soon be ready to battle it out at the top of the wins chart once again with his club and international teammate. For now, however, all eyes are on Müller, and the Space Invader is celebrating in his usual good-humoured style.
Watch: Thomas Müller - 12 titles, 12 goals
"I'm not done yet," Müller previously warned, and how true that statement has turned out to be. Recently back in the international fold, the 2014 FIFA World Cup winner brought his senior caps tally to 125 [with 45 goals] last week and he currently sits just five games behind Lukas Podolski, third on Germany's all-time appearances list.
It's at his club Bayern where the Bavarian is celebrating now, though, with his 323rd victory coming in what was a 449th Bundesliga appearance. By comparison, Neuer's 322 wins have come in 478 German top-flight games for both Bayern and Schalke.
Watch: Müller & Hummels - friends reunited
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Despite taking time to get up to speed due to a hip complaint this term, Müller was eventually able to shake off that setback to appear in what is, incredibly, his 16th Bundesliga season with Bayern. No other player has ever managed such a feat at the perennial champions.
In that time, he has won 12 Bundesliga titles - more than any other player in the history of the league - and 11 in a row.
His top-tier wins record also arrives shortly after Müller registered 100 victories in the UEFA Champions League, a milestone achieved in the Group A victory against Manchester United in September. Only Cristiano Ronaldo and Iker Casillas previously managed to break the century of wins mark in European club football's elite competition but Müller is the only player to do so with the same club.
A true original of the game, Müller once described his physique and playing style as: "... not as athletic compared to some players. There are some where you say: ‘Wow, they’re machines.’ I’m more of the sleek and nimble type. I had to learn at a young age to find other routes to goal. For example with reading of the game, intelligence, interplay with teammates, timing and reaction speed.”
The Bundesliga's newest outright record holder added, "The best player doesn’t just mean that a player has a good shot and can run fast, but that he has the whole package – and that grit and resilience is part of it.”
Watch: Müller will always make you smile
There is a desire to win too, and Bayern's hungry No. 25 clearly has that in spades. Chasing down the club's record-extending 11th successive Meisterschale on the final day of last season, Bayern famously defeated Cologne to deny rivals Borussia Dortmund and claim one more championship victory.
"It sends a chill down your spine. It's incredible. You're going crazy," Müller said of the iconic moment Jamal Musiala scored the goal that won Thomas Tuchel's men the title. The player added, "It’s about constantly getting that winning feeling back; we want to go for it again," at the beginning of the campaign.
It's precisely that unquenchable hunger that keeps Müller coming back for more and that will see him adding to his new Bundesliga winning record into the future. For now, bundesliga.com salutes the division's new all-time leader in terms of games won. Thomas Müller, take a bow.
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