Thomas Müller confirmed on Saturday that Bayern Munich will not offer him a new contract, bringing an end to his remarkable 25-year career with the Bundesliga giants at the conclusion of this season.
The 35-year-old, whose contract was set to expire in the summer, took to social media to reveal that the decision had been made by the club, stating, “It’s not what I would have wished.” Müller also expressed his frustration with how the contract negotiations unfolded, with much of it played out publicly, but he acknowledged feeling appreciated by everyone involved in his long tenure at Bayern.
“The special connection to the club and our fantastic fans will always remain,” he said.
Müller, a product of Bayern’s youth system, has won two Champions League titles and 12 Bundesliga titles during his illustrious career. He is now focused on securing another league title for Bayern and aiming for this season’s Champions League final, which will be held at the Allianz Arena, Bayern’s home ground.
Later in the day, Bayern Munich announced that Müller would be honored with a testimonial match, and he will also participate in the Club World Cup in July.
“Thomas Müller had the definition of a Bavarian fairytale career,” said Bayern president Herbert Hainer.
Born in the Bavarian town of Weilheim, Müller joined Bayern at the age of 10 and made his first-team debut under coach Jürgen Klinsmann in 2008 against Hamburg, a team that featured current Bayern coach Vincent Kompany. A one-club player, Müller has made a record 743 appearances for Bayern in all competitions, scoring 247 goals and providing 273 assists.
In recent seasons, Müller has started more frequently from the bench, sparking speculation about his future. While he did not disclose his next destination, German media have suggested he could make a late-career move to Major League Soccer (MLS).
Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting, a former Bayern teammate and now playing for the New York Red Bulls, welcomed Müller to MLS in March, saying, “Thomas is a Bayern legend, so I would be happy for him if he continues there. If he wants to take the step (to the US), we’ll see.”
Müller has long been tipped for a role in Bayern’s administration once his playing days end. A World Cup winner with Germany in 2014, he retired from international duty after Euro 2024, having earned 131 caps and scored 45 goals over a 14-year period.
Bayern’s sporting director, Max Eberl, described the decision not to renew Müller’s contract as “anything but easy,” emphasizing that the club was now “putting the focus on the future.”
Bayern’s next match is Tuesday’s home Champions League quarter-final first leg against Inter Milan, with the return leg set for the following Wednesday. An injury to Jamal Musiala in Bayern’s 3-1 win over Augsburg on Friday could result in Müller getting a rare start against the Italian champions.
In the Bundesliga, Bayern currently hold a nine-point lead over defending champions Bayer Leverkusen, who have a game in hand.
