Thomas Müller signs with Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced Wednesday that the MLS team will be adding legendary German midfielder Thomas Müller to its roster.

The Whitecaps pulled off the biggest signing in club history, adding the 2014 World Cup champion and longtime Bayern Munich star to a club that has spent the entire season pushing for top spot in the Western Conference.

“They (fans) can expect that I’m always 100 per cent,” Müller said in a video provided by the club. “You can watch my skills in YouTube videos or several TV shows, but you can expect that I’m fully into it. And for me, that’s the most important part.”

Pending a visa, work permit and an international transfer certificate, Müller will join the team for the remainder of the 2025 season and will be a “Designated Player” for 2026.

“Whitecaps FC acquired the Discovery Priority for Müller from FC Cincinnati in exchange for $200,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money (GAM), $100,000 in 2026 GAM, and a conditional $100,000 in 2026 GAM,” a team statement explained.

Whitecaps CEO Axel Schuster described Müller as a “world-class player” and the “ultimate Raumdeuter” — a term that translates to ‘interpreter of space,’ which Müller helped establish.

“He not only brings a winning pedigree and exceptional football intelligence, but also a tireless work ethic that will elevate the entire team. Thomas is a natural leader whose passion for the game is infectious. This is a statement signing by our club and our ownership – a transformative moment for our club and our city. We are proud to welcome Thomas to Vancouver,” said Schuster.

Müller helped lead Germany to the 2014 World Cup title, scoring five goals in the tournament. He had also won the Golden Boot at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, finishing with five goals and three assists.

He will occupy an international roster slot and is expected to take one of the club’s vacant spots on the season-ending injury list, pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC), visa and work permit.

The 35-year-old attacking midfielder came up through Bayern Munich’s academy and spent 17 years with the German Bundesliga side.

He scored 250 goals for Bayern across all competitions and helped the team to 13 league championships, but his contract was not renewed after last season. 

“Our approach was only going after the football player Thomas Müller, and not his big name, his brand, his famous face,” Whitecaps sporting director Axel Schuster said in a video.

“We wanted to convince him in the area that excites him the most,” Schuster added. “He loves this game so much, and he wants to continue because he wants to play the game.

“Everything else came for us second, and we only started that after he said ‘Yes, I’m in.’”

Muller talked with former teammate Alphonso Davies about the club and the city after deciding to make the move to Vancouver. Davies, a star player with Bayern and captain of Canada’s national team, started his career as a teenager with the Whitecaps before joining the German powerhouse in January 2019.

“He told me a lot of good things about the city and the Whitecaps,” said Müller. “So I was a little bit pumped, but the decision was made.”

“I didn’t need Alphonso’s opinion, but it was important for me just to double-check.”

Müller is expected to arrive in Vancouver next Wednesday.