Is Thomas Muller one of the most underrated players in history?

19/01/22 1266

On Monday, Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandoski was crowned the Best FIFA Men’s Player for 2021 – scooping the prize for the second year in a row.

The Polish marksman netted a whopping 69 goals for club and country last year, so few would argue that he didn’t deserve to win the award.

Understandably, Lewandowski invariably grabs the headlines for his club. But he is not the only Bayern player racking up stupendous numbers on a consistent basis.

As it stands, Thomas Muller has registered more assists than any other player across Europe’s top five leagues. A lot more, in fact! The 32-year-old has notched 18 assists in just 19 Bundesliga appearances – eight more than Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Across all competitions, Muller has bagged eight goals and 20 assists in 28 games this season. That means he is averaging a goal involvement per game in 2021-22.

But this is nothing new for Muller. The Bayern legend has regularly chipped in with goals and assists throughout his career.

Last season, he contributed 15 goals and 24 assists in 46 matches. The season before that, he chalked up 14 goals and 26 assists in all competitions – following on from the nine goals and 16 assists that he amassed in 2018-19.

Since making his Bayern Munich debut back in 2008, Muller has bagged a remarkable 222 goals and 238 assists in 609 appearances for the Bavarian giants.

When you consider his numbers, it could be argued that Muller is one of the most underrated players in history. The spotlight rarely shines on him, yet he always seems to produce the goods.

The versatile midfielder/forward has enjoyed huge success at national level, too. He has notched 42 goals and 40 assists in 110 appearances for Germany.

Let’s not forget that Muller also has a World Cup Golden Boot to his name. After scooping the prize with five goals in seven games in 2010, he led his country to World Cup glory in 2014 – recording five goals and three assists en route to lifting the trophy.

Aside from his numbers, Muller is an extremely intelligent player. His expert positioning and movement enable him to work his magic, outwitting his opponents time and again.

Of course, Lewandowski deserves all the praise that goes his way. But Muller is the ultimate unsung hero. In fact, it could be argued that he is the most underrated – and underappreciated – player of all time.