Bayern Munich fans paid tribute to Thomas Müller before his last home game for the club on Saturday.
The supporters behind one of the goals displayed a huge red and white tifo with pictures of Müller celebrating and lifting trophies, accompanied by his name in giant letters, and a banner above it saying, “For 25 years everything for our colors!”
Club officials also presented the 35-year-old Müller with a picture of himself with all the trophies he won with the Bavarian powerhouse.
“Let us play!” he shouted as he brought the picture and a bouquet of flowers to the sideline.
Bayern, which clinched the Bundesliga title last weekend, was playing Borussia Mönchengladbach before the team was to be presented with the trophy.
Müller started the game for his 502nd Bundesliga appearance. He played until the 84th minute when he went off to resounding crowd applause. He embraced teammates as he left the field, and blew kisses and waved to the crowd. Bayern substitutes formed a guard of honor for him.
“I loved being a modern gladiator,” Müller told the crowd. “But I am not sad. I look forward to what is ahead even though it won’t be half as good.
“We all knew this moment would come. For many, including myself, it is a tough moment but a beautiful one too. The appreciation you gave me is unique.”
Müller is leaving at the end of the season after winning a record 13 league titles among others with the club.
Bayern announced in April that this season would be Müller’s last with the club. He was keen to extend his contract despite limited playing time but Bayern management felt it was more prudent to save his considerable wage packet than offer him a new one.
Müller joined Bayern as a 10-year-old from TSV Pähl, a small Bavarian club based to the southwest of Munich, in the summer of 2000.
He made his Bayern debut under Jürgen Klinsmann in 2008 and his breakthrough under Louis van Gaal the following season. He went on to make more appearances than any other player at Bayern, over 700, with more than 200 goals scored and more than 200 assists.
Information from The Associated Press and Reuters was used in this report.
