Bayern Leads World Cup Goalscorer List

The FC Bayern stars have certainly been hungry for goals at Brazil 2014 with 13 strikes from the double winners’ players to date, outstripping any other club represented at the World Cup. The top Munich marksman is Thomas Müller with four goals so far ahead of Arjen Robben and Xherdan Shaqiri on three each; Mario Mandzukic (2) and Mario Götze (1) have also found the back of the net. Barcelona (9) are second in the club rankings ahead of Manchester United (8) and Champions League winners Real Madrid (4).

Müller Fires Germany into Last 16

Thomas Müller has retained his scoring touch at the World Cup in Brazil. The winner of the Golden Boot in 2010 scored the goal that ensured Germany topped Group G with a workmanlike victory over Jürgen Klinsmann’s USA in the final round of preliminary stage fixtures on Thursday night. Joachim Löw’s men beat the North Americans 1-0 and will now meet the runners-up from Group H in Porto Alegre next Monday. Despite the defeat, the USA also made the first knockout round after edging out Portugal on goal difference.

“We clearly dominated possession and the match. The Americans dropped very deep so we had to be patient. Taking the 90 minutes as a whole it was a decent performance. I’m very pleased with the team today,“ commented the match-winner, who is now up to nine goals at the finals and has drawn level with Uwe Seeler and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge on Germany’s all-time roll of honour.

On a soaking wet afternoon in Recife, a Germany starting line-up featuring six Bayern men began brightly against the wary US team, but produced no real chances of note in a first half marked by tactical discipline and solid defending on both sides. Müller and Mesut Özil both had sniffs at goal but failed to get their shots away. Bastian Schweinsteiger returned to the starting formation and was a stabilising presence, as the 41,876 who braved local flooding to reach the Arena Pernambuco saw the experienced general teamed up with Philipp Lahm and Toni Kroos to establish midfield dominance.

After the goalless first period, the deadlock was broken ten minutes after the restart by Müller, who stroked home from outside the box after Per Mertesaker’s header from a corner had been saved. Mario Götze became the seventh FCB man to grace the play when he replaced the exhausted Schweinsteiger a quarter hour from time as the three-time world champions comfortably saw off a last-gasp US rally to seal a deserved three points.

Müller and Boateng Injuries Only Minor

Two Bayern stars were in the wars during Germany’s hard-fought 2-2 draw with Ghana in Brazil on Saturday evening: Thomas Müller sustained a cut on the face and Jérome Boateng felt a muscle go tight. Müller, the top scorer from the 2010 World Cup and already on three goals in Brazil, suffered the cut above his right eye in an aerial challenge seconds before the end of the Ghana match. The wound was stitched in the dressing room at Estádio Castelão immediately afterwards. “I don’t think it’s too bad,” coach Joachim Löw reported.

‘No risk’ of not facing USA

Boateng completed the first half of the match but remained in the dressing room at half-time. The FCB centre-back felt his left hamstring tighten, but himself sounded the all-clear later on: “We’ll have to wait and see, but I don’t think there’s a risk for the next match,” the 25-year-old said, “it’s nothing particularly serious.” The German FA (DFB) said in a statement that both players were expected to be available for selection against the US in Recife next Thursday.

Belgium's Big Brother

Daniel van Buyten often knocks on a few doors in the evening at the Belgium team hotel in Mogi das Cruzes. The FC Bayern veteran is keeping a watchful eye on his many inexperienced team-mates at the World Cup. “I’m like a big brother who talks to the young lads as much as possible,” said the 36-year-old. The exciting young Belgians are widely tipped as potential dark horses for the trophy, “so it could be a long tournament for us, and it’s not good if players carry things with them that might make them anxious,” the FCB centre-back commented.

Van Buyten speaks from experience. He is the only player in the Belgium squad who was also present the last time the Red Devils had a tilt at the biggest prize in football, in Japan and South Korea 12 years ago. “I often found myself sitting alone in my room,” the defensive colossus recalled, “I was nervous and worried.”

In his recently-published biography Big Dan, the model pro remembers: “The flight there was the first time I’d been in a big Boeing. I slept badly. I was very nervous. I didn’t play well and I was worried that my parents and wife would suffer from what was written about me in the Belgian papers. The stress was nearly the end of me.”

Hat-Trick Hero, Muller Leads 4-0 Rout

Thomas Müller blasted a hat-trick and ex-FCB youth Mats Hummels also scored as a Germany side featuring half-a-dozen Bayern stars made an explosive start to their 2014 World Cup campaign with a 4-0 rout of ten-man Portugal on Monday evening. The 51,000 crowd at Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador saw a thrilling first half with Joachim Löw’s increasingly assured side opening up a match-winning lead, although Pepe’s dismissal before half-time effectively ended the game as a contest.

Löw fielded six of the seven-strong Bayern contingent in his starting line-up, with Manuel Neuer in goal, Jerome Boateng at right-back, captain Philipp Lahm in the holding role, Toni Kroos in the playmaking position, Mario Götze down the left, and Müller as the central striker. Bastian Schweinsteiger initially took a seat in the dugout.

After Serbian referee Milorad Mazic whistled play underway the teams made light of the 28 degree heat and punishing humidity with a whirlwind start. Götze and Hugo Almeida traded early chances, Cristiano Ronaldo drew a sharp save from Neuer, and Sami Khedira slid a long-range effort past the unguarded net after a mistake from Portugal keeper Rui Patricio.

Löw’s men had the lead on 12 minutes when Müller tucked away a penalty after Joao Pereira wrestled Götze to the ground as the FCB man wriggled towards the six-yard box. Germany had the game under control for a spell, but the Portuguese were always a threat on the break and Nani thumped a swerving shot inches wide of the goal frame.

Thomas on deadly form

Lahm and his team-mates kept probing away and doubled the lead on 32 minutes when Hummels powered home a header from a Kroos corner, the result of a desperate late block on a goalbound Götze effort. Portugal were reduced to ten men five minutes later when the volatile Pepe lashed out at Müller and then head-butted the striker, earning the Real Madrid defender a straight red card.

Space opened up now for Löw’s men and Götze was again crowded out close to goal, before Müller’s persistence and deadly finishing skills earned him a second and his team’s third in first-half stoppage time, the striker spinning onto a Kroos reverse pass and blasting a deflected shot past Patricio.

The Germans stayed on the front foot after the break, but Müller headed the rebound wide after Patricio saved a one-on-one with Mesut Özil. The pace and the players steadily wilted in the blistering heat, and Götze missed the chance to make it four on 69 minutes from sub Andre Schürrle’s unselfish pass by dwelling a shade too long on the ball.

Boateng moved to centre-back for the last 20 minutes after Hummels was forced off with a knee injury, before Müller completed his hat-trick from close range when Patricio spilled Schürrle’s 78th-minute cross-shot. The hat-trick hero gave way to former Bayern star Lukas Podolski for the last ten minutes, and Neuer showed all his class before the end with a solid save from a Ronaldo blaster as Löw’s side cruised to the victory.

Live match report for fcbayern.de by Chris Hamley

Germany line-up: Neuer - Boateng, Mertesacker, Hummels (Mustafi 73), Höwedes – Lahm - Khedira, Kroos – Özil (Schürrle 63), Götze – Müller (Podolski 82)
Subs: Weidenfeller, Zieler, Durm, Ginter, Draxler, Großkreutz, Kramer, Schweinsteiger, Klose

Portugal line-up: Rui Patricio - Bruno Alves, Pepe, Joao Pereira, Fabio Coentrao (André Almeida 65) - Miguel Veloso (Ricardo Costa 46) - Joao Moutinho, Raul Meireles - Nani, Cristiano Ronaldo - Hugo Almeida (Eder 28)

Goals: 1-0 Müller (12, pen), 2-0 Hummels (32), 3-0 Müller (45+1), 4-0 Müller (78)

Neuer & Co, ready for Portugal

Four weeks after sustaining a shoulder injury in the DFB Cup final, Manuel Neuer has declared himself fit and ready to play when Germany open their World Cup campaign against Portugal on Monday. “Yes, I’m fit, really fit,” the FCB keeper stated on the day prior to the match, “I can perform all the drills and I’ve come through all the tests.”

“I’ve obviously not had so many training sessions. But my priority was to regain peak physical shape, build up my mental strength and make sure I didn’t lose anything. And I haven’t,” continued the 28-year-old, who missed his country’s last two warm-up matches against Cameroon (2-2) and Arminia (6-1). “But that’s not a factor for me,” insisted Neuer.

The keeper has been working hard at Germany’s Campo Bahia base: “I’ve completed the goalkeeping training sessions, I’ve joined in the team sessions and I’ve felt good.” Joachim Löw has repeatedly emphasised Neuer’s immense quality. “I see no danger and no risk in playing him,” commented the Germany head coach, “he doesn’t need any injections or pain killers.”

Key role for Boateng

Philipp Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger, who like Neuer both carried injuries into the build-up, have also recovered full fitness. Going into his sixth major international tournament, Lahm will start in defensive midfield for the first time, the position he mainly filled for FC Bayern last season. Jérôme Boateng is poised to reprise a vital role he performed at Euro 2012 as right-back and the direct opponent of World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo. The Germans won that encounter 1-0.

However, Ronaldo is not the Iberians’ only danger man. “Moutinho, Nani and Ronaldo, and behind them the very experienced Alves, Pepe and Coentrão, are all high-quality players. They’re a very dangerous team,” warned Löw, who has spent the last seven days at Campo Bahia fine-tuning his team. In Germany’s 100th match at the World Cup finals, Lahm, Neuer & Co are keen to lay down a marker, as ex-FCB man Lukas Podolski stated: “We want the other nations to look at us and say: Wow, the Germans are up for it!”

Arjen's Dream Start is Javi's Nightmare

Arjen Robben and his Dutch team-mates made a dream start to their 2014 World Cup campaign on Friday as the FCB superstar contributed two outstanding goals to a 5-1 demolition of reigning world champions Spain. “It was a superb game. It’s something you have to enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!” Robben enthused as the men in orange emphatically took revenge for defeat in the 2014 World Cup final.

“I’ve always had a lot of faith in this team. We’re in very good physical shape and that’s paid off. And we can play football too,” Robben continued. The FCB wide player was a dynamic and inspirational presence throughout for Lous van Gaal’s side, but for the Spanish Javi Martínez was forced to watch the increasingly painful 90 minutes from the dugout.

On a rainy night in Salvador, Furia Roja actually made the more convincing start. Xabi Alonso converted a 27th minute penalty to hand the Iberians the lead, but a minute from half-time Robin van Persie levelled for the impressive Dutch. After the break Van Gaal’s men effectively stifled the Spaniards’ feared passing game and struck to deadly effect on the break. The tireless Robben twisted and turned skilfully to notch his brace after 53 and 80 minutes, with Stefan de Vrij (64) and Van Persie (72) also getting on the scoresheet.

After Manchester United hitman Van Persie was substituted on 79 minutes, Robben took over the captain's armband and led his team through to the final whistle on a memorable evening for the Dutch. “But we have to keep both feet on the ground,” the Bayern man warned, “we’re totally focused on Australia now.”

Müller: This is my Home

Thomas Müller is a fans’ favourite, a performer, and a Bavarian through and through. In short, the perfect man for FC Bayern. On Wednesday the 24-year-old agreed to extend his contract until 2019. Great news ahead of the World Cup. “This is my home. This is my club,” declared the Germany international, “I want to win a lot of titles for the club that’s so special to me. I’m very happy.”

The new contract with FCB will give Müller additional motivation as he embarks on his second World Cup finals campaign. However, the striker will find Brazil quite different from his spectacular World Cup debut four years ago. “I felt like I was in a capsule in 2010. I was thrown into the thick of it and I didn’t really know what was happening to me,” recalls the surprise top goalscorer in South Africa: “I can appreciate the run-up to the World Cup much more now.”

Müller goes into the tournament in South America as a title holder. With five goals and three assists the then 20-year-old sensationally won the Golden Boot in South Africa - the third German player to do so after Gerd Müller (1970 in Mexico / 10 goals) and Miroslav Klose (2006 in Germany / 5 goals). He made his full international debut just three months before the start of the tournament.

'Thomas has trained brilliantly'

He does not see the comparison with 2010 as a burden or liability. It serves more as an additional incentive. “I know it’s not very likely I will end up as top scorer again. Nobody has managed that so far. But I’m not going to say I won’t try.” Typical Müller. The crowd-pleaser, who always has a good response at hand, always looks to achieve the maximum possible.

“He always wants to win even though he loves to have fun,” said Germany team manager Oliver Bierhoff in Santo André. “I’ve always wanted to achieve the best possible results,” confirmed Thomas. As an example, he told the story at the training camp in the South Tyrol of a tennis tournament in his hometown where he competed with the men as a twelve-year-old lad: “I wanted to win that too - and fortunately I managed to do it.”

Löw also sees the forward as a key element in his World Cup squad. “Thomas has been outstanding in training and in games,” raved the Germany coach during the run-in to the World Cup finals. It does not matter whether he is on the right or in the centre. “He’s a leader on the pitch. You can rely on him. He’s played a key role in lots of internationals,” said Löw’s number two Hansi Flick in Campo Bahia. And the assistant coach added: “Thomas has matured.” He is now about to earn cap number 50 for his country.

Lahm Looks 'To End Career at Bayern'

It all started in 1995. Philipp Lahm, then an eleven-year-old lad, took the plunge and made the move from his hometown club FT Gern to the mighty FC Bayern Munich. He has spent 17 of the past 19 years at Säbener Strasse - and there are four more to come. “It's definitely my last contract. I aim to end my career at FC Bayern. That's what I always wanted,” said the FCB skipper after signing a contract extension to 2018.

“I am 100 percent committed to the club, its values, approach and its philosophy,” added the 30-year-old, “I more or less grew up at this club.” Champions League winner, World Club champion, German league, cup and Super Cup winner – Lahm has won everything there is to win at club level with FC Bayern. However, he is still keen to carry on collecting honours.

He aims to “keep on improving and to win the Champions League again. I'm really looking forward to the next few years where we can play attractive and attacking football with Pep Guardiola.” But the World Cup comes first. Germany came up short at home in 2006 and in South Africa in 2010. It could be third time lucky in Brazil as Lahm seeks to crown his international career.

'I've got a good feeling'

“Obviously, I'm well aware it could be my last World Cup. So I'll put in 100 percent and be even more focused,” promised the man with 106 international caps for Germany. “I think it's brilliant I'll be playing my third World Cup on a third continent.” Lahm was only six when Germany last won the World Cup in 1990.

“I've watched it a hundred times,” he admitted. “The way Lothar Matthäus held the trophy was something special.” Lahm is determined to emulate that moment in Rio on 13 July. And it would be foolish towrite off Germany's chances in Brazil. “The team has improved in terms of football and tactics,” said Lahm with conviction, “I've got a good feeling.”

Neuer Resumes Full Training

Manuel Neuer is fully fit again after injury and has resumed goalkeeping training with the Germany national team. On Monday, Joachim Löw’s full squad completed a public workout in front of around 500 spectators from Santo André. “All credit and a big thank-you to the people in Bahia and Santo André. The World Cup couldn’t have begun better for us,“ said team captain Philipp Lahm, who joined the rest of the group in wearing a newly-designed training kit featuring the slogans Feliz por estar aqui(We’re pleased we’re able to be here) on the front and Obrigado Bahia (Thank-you Bahia) on the back. Neuer, who resumed goalkeeping-specific drills on Sunday after recovering from a shoulder problem, again looked sharp and alert in the session.

Lahm and Co move into team base

At half-past eight (CET) on Sunday morning, the Germany World Cup party with its Bayern complement of seven players disembarked their Lufthansa charter flight in Salvador da Bahia (Brazil). The group then boarded a second plane for the flight to Porto Seguro, before the team coached by Joachim Löw transferred the last 30 km to their Campo Bahia team base by bus and a ferry. A week prior to the Germans' first group match on 16 June against Portugal, Löw has scheduled the first training session for Sunday afternoon. The long trip began when the stars boarded the plane at 10 pm CET on Saturday evening in Frankfurt am Main.

Brace for Götze as Germany Cruise to Victory

Both Philipp Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger made successful comebacks as Germany cruised to victory in their final friendly before flying to Brazil for the World Cup. Mario Götze fired a brace as Joachim Löw’s men defeated Armenia 6–1 in Mainz on Friday, although a morale-boosting victory was overshadowed by a serious injury to Marco Reus, who tore a syndesmotic ligament just before half-time and was ruled out of the global showdown following a medical on Saturday. Sampdoria’s Shkodra Mustafi has been called into the squad as an emergency replacement.

Four FCB men started the match in front of a 27,000 crowd at the Coface Arena. Captain Lahm returned from an ankle injury and was joined by right-back Jérôme Boateng, Toni Kroos in a playmaking role and Thomas Müller up front. Prompted by Kroos and twin holding midfielders Lahm and Sami Khedira, with the highly mobile Müller and Reus creating havoc through the middle, the home side comfortably dominated the first half, but the men in white found chances initially hard to come by.

The goals started to flow after the break. André Schürrle latched onto a 52^nd-minute lay-off by Lukas Podolski from a Kroos pass to open the scoring, and although Henrik Mkhitaryan levelled from the spot after 69 minutes, Podolski (72), Benedikt Höwedes (73), Miroslav Klose (76) and Götze (82, 89) made it a deserved and sizeable victory by the end.

The goal for former FCB man Klose took him onto 69 for his country in 132 matches, overtaking Gerd Müller (68 goals in 62 matches) in Germany's all-time scoring chart. Klose’s strike was laid on by Schweinsteiger, who returned from a knee injury as a 59th-minute substitute. Götze followed him for the last 15 minutes. Müller and Boateng were both taken off in the 67th minute. Keeper Manuel Neuer is still recovering from injury.

“I feel top fit," said Lahm after his first match in three weeks. “We can be pleased. It was a decent team display. It's normal that we still have work to do prior to the first match at a World Cup." Kroos commented: “The first half was okay and we made a few chances. It was a lot easier after half-time.“

Hermann Gerland Celebrate his 60th Birthday

Anybody who saw him at the Grünwalder Stadium knows why his nickname is ‘Tiger’. The way he constantly bounced up and down on the touchline. How he shouted, growled and hissed. The way he devoured sandwiches after the game in a rage or in delight. How he walked from the Grünwalder ground to Säbener Strasse lost in his thoughts and wearing his football boots. The Tiger was feared, the Tiger was respected - and that has carried on right up to his sixtieth birthday today.

Hermann was born on 4 June 1954 in Bochum, the oldest son in a miner's family. “I was nine years old when my father died,” he explained. “I was one of four children and we were poor.” This period shaped his character. Duty, motivation, commitment – all factors that helped Gerland get into professional football. “I'm a grafter who loves football rather than the fancy Dan stuff,” he adds, “my motto is: no pain, no gain.”

In his youth Gerland was “obsessed” with realising his dream. “I wanted to show everybody what I could do and I trained with utter determination.” Hermann played in the Bundesliga from 1972 to 1984 for VfL Bochum. An uncompromising defender who quickly earned the nickname of ‘The Oak’. Gerland is still called that in Bochum, where he started his coaching career.

The talent spotter

After three years at VfL Bochum (1985-88) his coaching career took him to FC Nürnberg (88-90, 95-96), Tennis Borussia Berlin (1996-98), Arminia Bielefeld (1999-2000) and Ulm (2000-01). He was able to hone his skills at FC Bayern. Jupp Heynckes, then first team head coach, brought him to the club in 1990 to manage the reserve side. Gerland made his name as the possibly the most successful talent spotter in the Bundesliga.

Gerland was in charge of the FC Bayern second eleven from 1990 to 1995, 2001 to 2009 and 2010/11 when they were in the third tier of German football. His main achievements on the pitch were the Regional League title in 2004, reaching the last sixteen of the DFB Cup (1993/94) and the quarter-finals (1994/95, 2004/05). But the most important factor for Gerland was to help players make it in the Bundesliga.

The list is long: Philipp Lahm, Owen Hargreaves, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Holger Badstuber, Thomas Müller, Christian Lell, Christian Nerlinger, Dietmar Hamann, Markus Babbel, Mats Hummels, Zvjezdan Misimovic, Paolo Guerrero, Piotr Trochowski... in retrospect, it's not just Schweinsteiger who was glad to work hard for Gerland. “He was always frank and honest. It was good to have someone who didn't butter you up but rather told you a few home truths,” explained the Germany international with 101 caps to his credit.

Behind the scenes operator

Gerland's aim remains “making players better.” Nowadays, when he visits the Grünwalder Stadium, he does sit down. Hermann has been the first team assistant coach since 2009 where he has worked alongside Jupp Heynckes, Louis van Gaal and now Pep Guardiola - “an absolutely dream job” as he says. “There's no doubt about it. Being a player is even better. But the next best thing is being assistant coach. Or the goalkeeping coach. Head coach is a much harder and onerous task. I don't want to be centre stage.”

The father of three and now grandfather enjoys cult status with FC Bayern supporters. They call the Grünwalder Stadium the Hermann Gerland Ground, and the fans at the Allianz Arena often sing songs about him. The part-time horse breeder (“my greatest passion after football and my wife”) is very popular with the players. Hermann Gerland, Tiger and Oak, but above all a warm human being with unmistakable charm – fcbayern.de wishes Hermann Gerland very happy returns on his sixtieth birthday.

Muller on target, in Cameroon stalemate

Just under two weeks ahead of their first group fixture at the World Cup finals in Brazil, Germany were held 2–2 by Cameroon in Mönchengladbach on Sunday in their penultimate warm-up match. Coach Joachim Löw’s side play their final pre-tournament friendly this Friday against Armenia in Mainz before setting off for South America.

All four goals at Borussia Park came in the second half. Veteran striker Samuel Eto'o opened the scoring after 62 minutes, but Thomas Müller (66) and André Schürrle (71) had the 41,250 crowd on their feet as the home side turned the game on its head. However, Mainz striker Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting levelled it up with 12 minutes to play. “We made life difficult for ourselves and didn’t exploit our chances the way we wanted to. There’s still work to be done. We have to be up for it on 16 June,” Müller said afterwards.

The striker was joined in the starting line-up by fellow Bayern trio Jérôme Boateng, Toni Kroos and Mario Götze. Manuel Neuer, Philipp Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger were all rested as they recover from injury but could feature against Armenia. Löw must supply his final 23-man squad list to world governing body FIFA on Monday.

The home side had the upper hand at the start with early chances for Mesut Özil, Per Mertesacker and Götze, but the misses almost proved costly as the West Africans settled and began to impose their muscular style. The visitors not only neutralised Germany’s attacking efforts but almost took the lead when Benjamin Moukandjo broke through at the end of the first half, only for Neuer’s stand-in Roman Weidenfeller to save well.

With an hour played Eto'o rolled back the years with the opening goal: Weidenfeller initially parried the 33-year-old’s effort, but the striker kept his cool and netted the rebound. Müller and Schürrle looked to have secured a morale-boosting win for Löw’s men, but Choupo-Moting had other ideas and equalised with a fine solo effort.