Müller: Yes, that was when Germany lost 3-4 to Italy at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. I’ve watched footage of that game and remember a few scenes, such as Kaiser Franz playing with his arm in a sling and all that. I know that Germany and Italy have met in several memorable games, but I also know that whatever took place in the past will be of absolutely no consequence for the match on Thursday.
team.dfb.de: You live in Munich, a.k.a. ”the northernmost Italian city“. What do you associate with Italy?
Müller: Oh, it’s a great country to spend your holidays! I love Lake Garda and the Adriatic coast, not to forget the food. I also speak a few phrases Italian, you know, the standard expressions like Thank You, Please, How Are You…
team.dfb.de: You are said to be something of a joker, even until shortly before kick-off. Is this irrespective of who you’re up against? Any difference between club and national team match?
Müller: It’s not that I make a conscious effort to be ”funny“, but I’ve never been the kind of guy who goes into some kind of tunnel-vision. Once the match gets going, though, I’m all concentration.
team.dfb.de: Somehow, people have come to expect your trademark wisecracks – is this becoming annoying?
Müller: No, why should it? I don’t feel that kind of pressure only because I’ve come up with a witty remark at previous interviews or press conferences. And I don’t think that everybody was amused to hear what I said recently…
team.dfb.de: You complained about what you felt was over-negative coverage of the German team’s performances at this tournament…
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One of the outstanding protagonists of the 2010 World Cup, Thomas Müller won the Germans’ hearts and minds with his easy-going nature, sense of humour and, of course, his on-pitch performances. Two years on, little has changed – Müller has remained his old self, scoring goals and loving a joke. Here’s what he told DFB.de’s Steffen Lüdeke about all things Italian.
team.dfb.de: Thomas, did you watch last night’s quarter-final between England and Italy?
Thomas Müller: Of course I did, after all, such football classics aren’t on the agenda every day! It turned out a very interesting match and made for surprisingly good watching.
team.dfb.de: Because Italy played more attack-minded football than previously expected?
Müller: Yes, but also because England, despite sometimes lacking the means, did their bit to make it a good game, creating quite a number of chances. The fact that it was a goalless draw after extra-time doesn’t mean that neither team came close to scoring, on the contrary. Overall, though, Italy deserved to progress to the semis.
team.dfb.de: … where they will meet Germany in another edition of this classic encounter. Where were you in 2006 when Germany lost the semi-final against Italy on home turf in Dortmund?
Müller: I watched the game with a bunch of friends, a kind of private public viewing. We were all flattened. Fabio Grosso destroyed all German dreams.
team.dfb.de: Have you heard the expression “Game of the Century?”
Müller: Yes, that was when Germany lost 3-4 to Italy at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. I’ve watched footage of that game and remember a few scenes, such as Kaiser Franz playing with his arm in a sling and all that. I know that Germany and Italy have met in several memorable games, but I also know that whatever took place in the past will be of absolutely no consequence for the match on Thursday.
team.dfb.de: You live in Munich, a.k.a. ”the northernmost Italian city“. What do you associate with Italy?
Müller: Oh, it’s a great country to spend your holidays! I love Lake Garda and the Adriatic coast, not to forget the food. I also speak a few phrases Italian, you know, the standard expressions like Thank You, Please, How Are You…
team.dfb.de: You are said to be something of a joker, even until shortly before kick-off. Is this irrespective of who you’re up against? Any difference between club and national team match?
Müller: It’s not that I make a conscious effort to be ”funny“, but I’ve never been the kind of guy who goes into some kind of tunnel-vision. Once the match gets going, though, I’m all concentration.
team.dfb.de: Somehow, people have come to expect your trademark wisecracks – is this becoming annoying?
Müller: No, why should it? I don’t feel that kind of pressure only because I’ve come up with a witty remark at previous interviews or press conferences. And I don’t think that everybody was amused to hear what I said recently…
team.dfb.de: You complained about what you felt was over-negative coverage of the German team’s performances at this tournament…
Müller: Complain is the wrong word here, I’m not chief critic or anything. I only voiced my opinion.
team.dfb.de: You pointed at the enthusiasm shown by people back home, with hundreds of thousands of fans celebrating in the streets. How much of this does actually get through to you here in the team base camp?
Müller: The coaches have made a point of showing us a clip featuring frenzied fans, and thanks to satellite TV we can watch German channels, so we do realise what’s going on. It’s a great feeling to know that a whole nation is standing behind you.
team.dfb.de: After training, you’ve been seen to go between the posts and take a few shots from team-mates…
Müller: That’s because I used to play footie with my brother out in the garden. He always made me stand in goal, most likely because he was older and would have hated me to put a few past him. I had a much harder shot than him, of course. Actually, I loved making saves, stopping shots, and getting covered in mud in the process (laughs).
team.dfb.de: What’s more fun – scoring a goal, providing an assist, or making a save?
Müller: Scoring goals lifts you up no end. Obviously, providing a good assist or preventing goals can be just as important, but scoring is the biggest thing.
team.dfb.de: You said you like sharing a laugh…
Müller: That’s true, but I’m not the only one! This team can be quite a light-hearted, funny bunch; we’re having a lot of fun.
team.dfb.de: And what, if anything, would wipe that smile off your face?
Müller: Crashing out of the tournament in the semis.
team.dfb.de: And in a non-football context?
Müller: Whenever people close to me fall seriously ill or go through dire straits for other reasons.
team.dfb.de: You are one of the patrons of the ‘Young Wings’ project, an initiative that supports children and teens who have lost their parents or their care-givers…
Müller: It may sound pretentious for me to say, but the World Cup in South Africa has given me ‘VIP” status, which, at least for me, carries a certain responsibility. Suddenly I’d become a role model for many young people, and even if I don’t always act that way (smiles), I know that I’m obliged to give something back to society. There are many charitable organisations, but I chose ’Young Wings’ because at the time, they didn’t have any celebrity supporting them, plus very few people are actually aware of how many orphaned children are living in Germany. Another reason was that the ‘Young Wings’ people and I somehow hit it off immediately. They made me feel very comfortable, they understand where I’m coming from, and they also appreciate my time constraints. After all, my main job is that of football pro…
team.dfb.de: Since the heady days of the 2010 World Cup, you have also seen the downside of fame. Has this resulted in you doing fewer media interviews?
Müller: You can’t and shouldn’t shun the media, and I absolutely appreciate that we players benefit from them, too. So far, I haven’t done anything I felt uncomfortable doing. I know where the limits are and will say ’no way, José’ when I have a feeling that things would go too far.
team.dfb.de: Two years ago, there was no such thing as a Thomas Müller website, now you’re even on Facebook…
Müller: Because my fans are important to me! I want them to be looked after well, so I need the technical means to engage with them. My website and facebook are ideal platforms to do that.
team.dfb.de: In yesterday’s facebook post, you speak of the team’s self-confidence on the back of four wins from as many matches. How optimistic are you ahead of the Italy game?
Müller: We’ve found our rhythm; we’ve shown what we’re capable of, beating top-level teams such as Portugal and the Netherlands. Obviously, playing against Italy won’t be easy, but you can’t really expect meeting any bad teams at a European championship semi-final, can you?
team.dfb.de: At the last semi-final, you had to sit out a suspension; this time, you’ll be allowed to play…
Müller: Let’s say I HOPE to be allowed in the line-up (laughs). That’s anything but certain.
team.dfb.de: If you could make a wish, who would your favourite opponents be?
Müller: Both Portugal and Spain would be hard nuts to crack. Let’s say I wouldn’t necessarily insist on playing against the reigning world and European champions.
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team.dfb.de: Are Spain still ahead of Germany?
Müller: Well, they are in the FIFA world ranking…
team.dfb.de: Is that a relevant indicator?
Müller: Difficult to say. I think the best way to answer that question is a direct, head-to-head encounter, but the truth is we lost the past two games against Spain, while we beat Portugal in the group match. Frankly, it doesn’t really matter. I’ve heard people talk about ‘revenge’ or ‘settling old scores with Spain’, but that doesn’t come into it at all. We’re here to win a final, no matter who you play against. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves here! First we need to beat Italy, and once we’ve accomplished that, there’ll be no stopping us.
team.dfb.de: What would lifting the trophy in Kyiv on 1 July mean to you?
Müller: I was privileged to win the Bundesliga and the German FA Cup, but the three biggest titled are the Champions League, the World Cup, and the Euros. This season alone, I’ve come second in three competitions with FC Bayern. That’s enough runners-up places for my taste!
