Looking back at when Thomas Muller came to India

The German legend played friendly matches against Indian clubs for Bayern Munich II.

Thomas Muller will probably go down in history as one of the more underrated players in German football history. Despite not having the ultimate spotlight on himself, the Bayern Munich star has achieved a lot of success across the domestic and international scene.

Indeed, Muller has won 12 Bundesliga titles with the Bavarians in his career as well as multiple Champions League titles too. He’s a FIFA World Cup winner with Germany and among the highest-scoring players in World Cup history – having participated in three World Cup editions in his career.

What some might not know, however, is that Muller has also visited India multiple times to participate in friendly matches. The first time he visited the country was back in 2009, when he was still a part of Bayern Munich’s reserves side.

Part of Bayern Munich II's 2009 India tour

A graduate of the Bavarians’ youth academy, Muller was included in the Bayern Munich II squad that travelled to India in 2009 to take part in a few friendly matches against Indian opposition. He took part in the three friendly matches that the German giants took part in India, attracting thousands of supporters in every game.

He played in Bayern Munich II’s 5-1 rout of East Bengal in the opening game and starred in the 6-0 win over the Mayor’s XI side in Siliguri soon after. In fact, he even scored in the win over the Mayor’s XI side and the midfielder’s impressive work in the India tour improved his reputation among the decision-makers at Bayern – helping him transition to the senior squad soon.

How the legacy of Thomas Muller began

Soon after his heroics in India, Muller would have a breakthrough 2010 World Cup campaign with Germany, winning the Golden Boot award with five goals and three assists and even being named as the Best Young Player of the Tournament.

Muller would also return to India in 2011, now a regular member of the senior Bayern Munich squad. The Bavarians played a one-off friendly game against Team India, which served as a testimonial for Indian legend Bhaichung Bhutia. The Bavarians won 4-0. The German midfielder was able to score a brace in that game and thrill the fans at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi.

The German star has not returned to play in India since, but indicated his love for the country on multiple occasions. With the 33-year-old nearing the final stage of his career, fans can only hope he makes one last visit to play in India once again in the future.