I just wonder, whenever the best striker of all times is being debated, whenever an all time best 11 is being talked about on this board, most people don´t even seem to think about Gerd Müller. As far as I know his goal scoring quoat is unsurpassed, he is to my knowledge (and please correct me if you know of other players) the only player with 50+ caps and MORE GOALS THAN caps! (besides Pelé) He scored 68 international goals in just 62 caps, which gives him an even better quota (1.09 opposed to 1.05) than Pelés 97 goals in 92 caps. He still has scored the most World Cup goals of all time, though likely to be replaced by Ronaldo in 2006 or 2010. I know that he was never a stylish player, and I would watch Pelé or van Basten or Ronaldo over Müller every single day... The few goals I have seen from him (being born in 78) don´t look too exciting even to me, but it comes down to this: A striker has to score, and I don´t think there ever was a better goal scorer than Gerd Müller, simple as this. Opinions?
I don't think that people have forgotten him, it's more that compared to the other great strikers, his game was not as well rounded. Thus, I think people rate him lower as a complete player. But for sure, he was a stone-cold killer of a striker-and a money player as well.
I don't think people forget about him either, he just plays in such a competitive position. He has to be one of the best 6-10 strikers ever, but is just unlucky that everyone picks Pele and so only one other slot is available. As for other strikers to have more goals than caps check out this list http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/century.html As has been said he was not the most graceful of players ever and that also counts against him.
Gerd Mueller - Ugly but effective style. Gerd must have scored hundreds of the most unimpressive goals of all time! Check out the goal he scored to win the world cup against Holland. He's just loafing in the 18 yard box. The ball comes to him and he scores the goal! Watching Gerd you'd think it was easy to score goals at the world class level. Problem is as we all know is it ain't that easy. I wonder from a technical point of view how someone without any obvious brilliance could have been so effective. By the way if your looking for an analogy from other sports. I'd say that Beckanbauer was like Bobby Orr and Mueller was like Phil Esposito.
Holzenbein---------Der Bomber----------Grabowsky ------Overath------Hoeness------- Banhof-------- -----------------Der Kaiser----------------------- Breitner----------Schwarzenbeck------------Vogts --------------------Meier------------------------- World cup, 1974 I haven't forgeotten any of those guys, and Muller was Der Bomber. By the time he played for Ft. Lauderdale in the NASL he had turned into something like a bearded beer keg, but he could still score. He peaked in time for the '72 European Championship and the '74 WC in Germany. Maybe that '72 team, with Netzer in for Overath, was the better team, but Muller rose to the occaission both times.
gerdie In my opinion Gerd Mueller is the best german striker of all time, and among the top three strikers of all time. But never forget Georgie Best and Pele. He scored 10 goals in one world cup(1974), which is onkly beaten by France's Just Fontaine who scored 13 in, uhm, 1954 or something.
Just Fontaine had the most in one WC (13). Gerd Mueller has the most in the WC (14 -- 10 in '74 and 4 in '78). That's even better than Ronaldo. I think Gerd Mueller was the best "pure" striker ever, but certainly not the most complete player ever (undoubtedly Pele).
I think of Gerd Muller all the time. He inspired me to name the beer gut I developed after I stopped playing soccer "Gerd Muller." Every time I drink an extra beer, I honor his memory.
Der Bomber! I had the privilege of watching Gerd on Soccer Made in Germany (carried on local PBS stations in the US) during the 70s and later in the NASL with Ft. Lauderdale Strikers (when they played the SJ Earthquakes). As someone else mentioned, he doesn't get as much recognition because he wasn't flashy or supremely skilled -- he just scored goals. A lot of them. He made scoring look so easy. Always in the right place. Able to control the ball and turn with ease to explode the ball into the net. You were left with the question. Why can't others do the same? In my opinion, he is in a special group (Pele, Maradona, Crouyf, Best) who made soccer look so easy and fun to play.
Thank you for the link, it was most interesting. I tend to ignore the pre WW2 guys when comparing them the top goal scorers. But one thing or another was really surprising, I for one didn´t know too much about Jimmy Greaves. His scoring record sure looks impressive though. How come he is somewhat unknown outside of England?
I think (correct me if I'm wrong) it's because he some bad luck with World Cups. I know he was on the 1962 WC England team, but England didn't do much. In 1966 he was ill/injured(?) and not a particular favorite of Sir Alf and by 1970 I think he was considered too old. Also his prime was really before the impact of TV.
I watched that team when I was a teenager. I was most amused by the name of Muller's teammate - Holzenbein. For someone with such a name, he actually had very good touches on the ball.
Even when old and pretty fat in Ft Lauderdale, his first couple of steps to get to the ball in the box and his quickness in getting a shot off were amazing!!! I also think he must have been the soccer equlivalent of a gym rat,who really loved to play,I saw him on occasion playing in the local amateur league after his retirement.....
Gerd is always on my subs bench: All Timers - Old School ---------------Yashin ----------Beckenbaur---Baresi -Djalma Santos------------Maldini (1994) ---------------Matthaus ------Garrincha---------Cruyff --------------Maradona -----------Pele ----------------Van Basten Subs: GK: Banks LB: Brehme CB: Desailly (1994-1998) CB: Moore RB: Breitner MF: Gullit MF: Neeskens MF: Rivelino OM: Puskas FW: Eusabio FW: Di Stephano FW: Muller His game isn't complete enoug for him to earn a starting position. Build up play and striker pairing understanding would always have to favour him and that would make any all time team more linear then it would have to be. Gerd's game outside of scoring was pretty average and for this reason I think he'd look out of place surrounded by sublime all round talent. From an aesthetic point of view i could imagine Gerd's goals getting booed or something, lol. I'd see him a s the guy to come on and get the goal if the 'best 11' were struggling. His style of play wouldn't earn him a starting place when compared with the greater striking talent that has existed.
He was before my time so I never got to see him play. Why was he so good at scoring? Did he have an incredible shot, or did he anticipate the plays really well, could he hold the ball and turn a defender with the best of them. None of those things are flashy, but they'll get the job done so I threw those out there. So are any of those correct? Feel free to add more.
Ultimate poacher would be about right. Tremendous foresight and instinct around the box. People say he was 'lucky' but that's just not true. You cannot score so many goals from pure luck. Mullers probably the fastest thinking pure striker there has been, he'd often read ahead of play by 4 or 5 steps so he'd 'happen' to be in the right place at the right time'. Alomst impossible to mark due to his cunning and guile. With a tremendous, low, solid centre of gravity whch meant he could pull of shots from seemingly impossible angles and generate alot of power whilst falling over. Swivel shot and falling shot were facets to his game that would perplex defenders. He'd often 'fall over' on the wrong side of a defenders shoulder whilst shooting so not only was the ball shielded by his upper body but they couldn't get to his feet let alone the ball which ofte led to what looked like scrappy goals, but if you look closely you'd often see nothing he did was by accident. He also had a tremendous and deceptive leap for one so small which would doup much taller markers.
Gerd Muller starts upfront with Ferenc Puskas in my team with Pele and Maradona playing off them. I can't believe so many people for get about Muller, considering he scored more goals than he got caps.
sorry guys for my bad english.. iam from germany and iam old enough to remember his career...gerd müller is my alltime favorite player..... many here dont know that gerd müller was a common guy ..the peoples guy in this days..no beckenbauer or intellects like breitner or hoeness or rummenigge where had mayor position in bayern munich or in the medias..he was the first bayern player without college,had learned before only a common job ,not a well speaking person to be a medienstar or something else...diffrent to many national and international soccer stars... his game was to score goals in a way maybe it will never happen again from a striker...he was small but had massive powerful legs..he had a great ballcontroll and quickness in short runs...he never scored goals from 25,20 meters, but he was never really stopped to score goals inside...it was not easy for defenders to take away from him the ball and he had not thinking over a lot how to score...he was strong with both legs to score goals olso many volleygoals..he was small but he had scored many goals with his head too... gerd müllers comments a while ago for his sucess to score goals too was that he wanted allways to read the opposition gameplan in the defensive...he was foccused...the most strikers today or in the past didnt it or cant do that the way he did..... his records give him right...i will take him allways above the van bastens or nistelroys and many other in the world if iam want a cup... i laugh if i read comments from striker nistelroy where said that he want to be a complete striker and not a striker like müller who scored only easy goals..lol....why had müller so much goals?? mr. nistelroy!!!.i have sawn nistelroys gameperformance against usa (handgoal attemd) and lot of his goals in england... i bet he want to have the success gerd müller had..but that is a dream... after gerd müller retired from soccer he was an alcoholic for a while and bayern munich helped him to come back in a normal life..he help and train now young players for bayern munich.... gerd müller was a combination for highrate goals and success... he is the best pure striker ever where won many cups and awards and still hold records.. pitt
Oppenents always feared Muller inside the 6-yard box because if he was able to reach the ball, a score was certain. Probably had the most muscular legs of all-time. Tree stumps they were.
here are gerd müllers records: german championship 1969,1972,1973,1974 german cup 1966,1967,1969,1971 euro cup cup winners 1972 euro cup champions 1974,1975,1976 worldcup winner (with bayern) 1976 (best team europe against best team amerika..) euro championship with germany 1972 (2 goals final game) most goals euro championship 1972 most goals worldchampionship 1970 (10 goals)inclusive 2 goals in 3:4 semifinal loss against italy,maybe the best worldchampionship game ever... worldchampion 1974 (4 goals,game winner semifinal and game winner final) recordholder for most goals worldchampionships (14) (13 games...) golden boot in germany 7 times 1967,1969,1970,1972,1973,1974,1978 golden boot in europe twice 1970,1972 player of the year in germany 1967,1969 player of the year in europe 1970 365 goals in 427 german leaque games(recordholder) 71 goals in 57 german cup games(recordholder) 66 goals in 74 eurocup games (maybe recordholder for ever in europe) 68 goals in 62 games for germany (1.10 percent,recordholder for germany)share the percentage with famous hungary player kostic..some few 5-6 other players have better percentage records but this guys are not well known for some reasons or have played not against the best teams in the world...just fontaine had 30 goals in 21 games..all other famous strikers are behind müller in goal percentage........ müller was the complete scorer national and international... pitt