Gerd Muller

Gerd Müller was a professional footballer from Germany. He is a Ballon d’Or awardee, received in 1970 while with Bayern Munich. He was also voted Best Player 40 Years Bundesliga in 2003. In 1974, he helped West Germany win the FIFA World Cup.

Player Profile, Personal Life, and Youth Career

Gerhard "Gerd" Müller was born on November 3, 1945 in Nördlingen, Germany. He stood 176 cm tall and was a striker. He started his youth career playing for 1861 Nördlingen from 1958 to 1963.

In 2015, it was announced that Muller had Alzheimer’s disease and on August 15, 2021, he died at the age of 75 in Wolfratshausen, Germany.

Senior Career

After spending his youth career with 1861 Nördlingen, he signed with the team and made his senior debut in 1963. In 1964, he moved to play for Bayern Munich and he played with the club from 1964 to 1979, making a total of 453 appearances and 398 goals.

While with Munich, he received the Ballon d’Or award and he was named the Footballer of the Year in Germany twice, once in 1967 and again in 1969. He also helped Bayern win four Bundesliga. And he helped secure three European Cups for the club.

In 1974, he also played for West Germany in the FIFA World Cup, helping them win. A couple of years before that, he also helped the team win the 1972 UEFA European Championship.

From 1979 to 1981, he played in the United States for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. He retired from professional football in 1981.

Career Highlights:

Bayern Munich

• 1968–69, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1973–74 -

Bundesliga

• 1965–66, 1966–67, 1968–69, 1970–71 -

DFB-Pokal

• 1964–65 - Regionalliga Süd
• 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76 - European

Cup

• 1966–67 - European Cup Winners' Cup
• 1976 - Intercontinental Cup

West Germany

• 1974 - FIFA World Cup
• 1972 - UEFA European Championship

Individual

• 1970 - Ballon d'Or
• 1967, 1969 - Footballer of the Year

(Germany)

• 1963–2003 - Voted best Player 40

Years Bundesliga

• 1968–69, 1969–70, 1971–72, 1972–73 -

kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season

• 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976,

1977, 1978 - Eric Batty's World XI

• 1967, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974,

1978 - Bundesliga Top Scorer
(Kicker-Torjägerkanone)

• 1969–70, 1971–72 - European Golden

Shoe

• 1970 - FIFA World Cup Golden Boot
• 1970 - FIFA World Cup All-Star Team
• 1971, 1972, 1973 - FIFA Selects

World XI

• 1970, 1972 - Worldwide Topscorer
• 1972 - UEFA European Championship

Top Scorer

• 1972 - UEFA European Championship

Team of the Tournament

• 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977 - European

Cup Top Scorer

• 1976 - Onze de Onze
• 1998 - FIFA Order of Merit
• 2004 - FIFA 100
• 2007 - Golden Foot
• IFFHS Legends
• Bayern Munich All-time XI
• 2021 - IFFHS All-time Men's B Dream

Team

• 2021 - IFFHS All-time Europe Men's

Dream Team

Team History

National Team

• 1966 - West Germany
• 1966–1974 - West Germany