Five facts on Thomas Mueller, the German striker who scored the first FIFA World Cup 2014 hat-trick in their 4-0 win against Portugal on Monday
Thomas Mueller. Pic/AFP
Salvador: Five facts on Thomas Mueller, the German striker who scored a World Cup hat-trick against Portugal on Monday:
Thomas Mueller. Pic/AFP
> The Bayern Munich striker, 24, was the top scorer at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa with five goals from six games. He was also named best young player of the tournament as Germany finished third.
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> He has now scored 20 goals in 50 internationals for Germany, including in the 4-1 defeat of England at the 2010 World Cup and the opener in the 4-0 victory over Argentina one round later.
> Mueller has just signed a new contract that will keep him at Bayern Munich until 2019, despite interest from a host of European rivals, including Barcelona, Manchester United and Liverpool, ready to pay a 40 million euro ($54m) transfer fee.
> Mueller's father is called Gerhard but he is no relation to namesake German international Gerd Mueller, the renowned 'Der Bomber' who terrorised World Cup defences in the 1970s. The two have starred in an advertising campaign together, however, and Gerd has publicly declared himself an admirer of Thomas's talents.
> Mueller calls himself the "ramdeuter", or 'space investigator', explaining that his strength as an attacker is not dribbling, passing or shooting but in finding space. German coach Joachim Loew says that the striker is "impervious to pressure."
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