Thomas Müller has always stood apart. A player difficult to define. A charismatic presence. And one of an increasingly rare breed: the elite one-club player. Sixteen years after his debut, Müller has become Bayern Munich's record appearance maker in the Bundesliga. He has also equaled Sepp Maier's record of 709 total appearances.

"I personally feel that, at Bayern, the sporting aspect, the feeling with the fans in Munich and the appreciation from the fans, is unique here," he told Spox in an interview midway through his career. "Those are the most important aspects for me."

His status as a one-club man at the top level is burnished by that connection to Munich. Having grown up playing for TSV Pähl between the lakes southwest of the city, Müller represents the fan made good. Pictures of him as a boy with Bayern posters on the wall offer a sense of identity to young, local fans that was once commonplace but has now largely been lost in top level football.

Trophies, trophies, trophies

But this is no act of charity. Müller has won a record 12 Bundesliga titles, six German Cups, two Champions Leagues, the 2014 World Cup with Germany and the 2010 World Cup Golden Boot. Having become Bayern's all-time record appearance maker, he could still possibly even surpass Charly Körbel's Bundesliga record of 602 appearances.

His durability is part of the reason for both his longevity and success.

"You can't get injured where there are no muscles," he once joked. "My calves are so thin that no opponent can hit the bones because they're so hard to see."

That self-effacing nature has also often shown itself in Müller's assessment of his qualities on the pitch.

"You have to adapt and find your niche, in terms of the type of player you can become, both on and off the pitch," he told the Guardian shortly after that World Cup win.

"I always knew I'd have no chance against a 1.90-meter (6'2"), 90 kilogram (198 pounds) defender in a duel, so the key is to avoid these situations altogether. You have to pick your space and time."

That use of space and time has come to define a player who often looks ungainly, both technically and aesthetically, but is mercilessly efficient in the opposition box. His use of the word Raumdeuter or "space Interpreter" in an early interview was an attempt to pin down his habit of popping up in unlikely positions, and with unlikely body parts, in order to get the ball over the line. It is testament to his abilities that the term is now integrated in to the football lexicon. Only the best have a role named in their honor.

Van Gaal offers trust

Not that any of that seems to bother the 34-year-old all that much. While many players would bristle at criticism of their technical attributes, he's always seen it as a compliment that he's made the most of what he has. It's not without reason that he has been trusted by coaches as diverse as Jupp Heynckes, Pep Guardiola and Louis van Gaal.

Though he didn't give Müller his debut, van Gaal is the man Müller often cites as giving him his break and the trust he needed. The Dutch coach once memorably said that: "Müller always plays", consistently emphasizing his importance to a star-studded team.

"Louis van Gaal and I have a relationship that goes beyond that which is normal between a player and a coach," Müller said in an interview with Goal. In fact, van Gaal almost signed the Bavarian when in charge of Manchester United in both 2014 and 2015 but, according to van Gaal, Lisa Müller (Thomas's wife) was not keen on moving.

Lisa and Thomas both hit the headlines during the 2024 Olympics when German show jumper Christian Kukuk won gold on Checker, a horse that the Müllers partly own.

Team talker

It was a rare glimpse in to the private life of a footballer who often appears to belong to another era. Müller is usually relaxed with the media, and other players but is not afraid to speak his mind when he feels it necessary. On the pitch, his incessant talking has earned him the moniker "Radio Müller" but that chatter is in service of the team, rather than to bolster his own ego or reputation.

"I do my thing. I will not change my everyday life and feel restricted," he said. "You won't find me running naked across the Marienplatz [the central square in Munich] asking to be photographed."

"I try to be available for the fans, but sometimes when I'm with my family, wife and friends, I try to protect my private life. You cannot please everybody."

He may not be able to please everybody, but he's certainly bought plenty of joy to Bayern and Germany fans. As a footballer who is not reliant on physiciality – and one that's come back from being written off before – there may well be much more to come.

Edited by: Chuck Penfold