Bayern Munich’s Thomas Müller reaches 200 Bundesliga wins quicker than any other player in history
In scoring Bayern Munich’s winning goal against Schalke on Matchday 22, Thomas Müller not only earned the runaway leaders another vital three points in their march towards a sixth straight league title but also etched his name into the Bundesliga record books.
Saturday’s 2-1 victory at the Allianz Arena lifted Müller onto 200 league victories for the Bavarians, making him the fastest player in German top-flight history to reach that landmark.
Incredibly, Müller has clocked up a double century of league wins after only 275 Bundesliga outings for the Bavarians, 36 games quick than the previous record holder, Bastian Schweinsteiger. At just 28 years of age, the Weilheim native also has ample time to build on his sensational tally.
Watch: Müller's extraordinary journey from Pähl to the pinnacle of world football
“I always put the same amount of effort into every game,” Müller, who captained the Bavarians against the Royal Blues, told fcbayern.de. “Sometimes you don’t always get what you deserve, sometimes you do. That’s why you need to enjoy successful days like today when they come along, but it’s always important to keep your eye on the ball.”
Müller’s 36th-minute strike against Schalke was his 168th goal for the Bavarians - only namesake Gerd Müller (552) and club CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (218) have scored more times for the record champions than the six-time Bundesliga champion since the league’s inception in 1963. Astonishingly, Bayern have still never lost a league game in which Müller has found the target.
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“He’s a really important player for us, not just as a captain but also as a leader,” Jupp Heynckes said of the self-described Raumdeuter, who has netted four goals in his last six league outings for Bayern. “He’s in good form again and hopefully that’ll continue for the rest of the season.”
“Thomas sometimes does things without knowing how he’s done them,” added goalkeeper Sven Ulreich. “It’s a big relief as a goalkeeper to be on the same side as him!”
Müller will hope to register victory number 201 this coming Saturday, when Bayern travel to the Volkswagen Arena to take on strugglers Wolfsburg.