Bayern Munich legend Thomas Müller confirmed on Saturday that the club will not offer him a new contract, bringing an end to his 25-year career with the Bundesliga giants at the conclusion of this season.
The 35-year-old’s contract was set to expire in the summer, and he shared on social media on Friday that the decision was made by the club and “not what I would have wished.”
Müller expressed his dissatisfaction with how the contract negotiations had unfolded in recent months, noting that it had been a “back and forth in public.” However, he added that he “felt the appreciation from everyone involved after my long time with Bayern.”
“The special connection to the club and our fantastic fans will always remain,” he said.
Müller, who came through Bayern’s youth system, has won two Champions League titles and 12 Bundesliga titles with the club. His focus is now on “bringing the league title back to Munich” and reaching this season’s Champions League final, which will be held at Bayern’s Allianz Arena.
Later on Saturday, Bayern Munich issued a statement announcing that Müller would be honoured with a testimonial match, and he would also play in the Club World Cup in July. Club president Herbert Hainer called Müller’s career “the definition of a Bavarian fairytale.”
Born in the nearby Bavarian town of Weilheim, Müller joined Bayern at the age of 10 and made his debut under coach Jürgen Klinsmann in 2008 against a Hamburg side that included current Bayern coach Vincent Kompany. A one-club player, Müller has made 743 appearances for Bayern across all competitions, the most in the club’s history, scoring 247 goals and providing 273 assists.
In recent seasons, Müller has been used more sparingly, leading to speculation about his departure. While he did not reveal where he would play next, German media have suggested he may make a late-career move to the MLS in the United States.
Müller, who was part of Germany’s 2014 World Cup-winning team, retired from international football following Euro 2024. He earned 131 caps and scored 45 goals for his country over a 14-year period.
Bayern sporting director Max Eberl said the decision not to renew Müller’s contract was “anything but easy” and emphasized that the club was focusing on the future.
Bayern’s next match is a Champions League quarter-final first-leg at home against Inter Milan on Tuesday, with the return leg the following Wednesday. With Jamal Musiala injured in Bayern’s 3-1 win over Augsburg on Friday, Müller may get a rare start against the Italian champions.
In the Bundesliga, Bayern are nine points clear of defending champions Bayer Leverkusen, who have a game in hand against lowly Heidenheim on Saturday.
