Former German international and Bayern Munich attacking star Thomas Müller was officially unveiled as the Vancouver Whitecaps' star signing on Thursday. A day after being welcomed by spirited fans at the airport, the 35-year-old World Cup winner held court in his new city for nearly an hour as he expressed his joy in joining the MLS side in true Müller fashion.
At the start of the press conference, Müller was presented with an eagle feather and a woven headband by Wilson Williams, a community leader of Vancouver's Squamish Nation. The eagle, Williams said, is a special spirit bird for "our people and our families."
"Fly high, bring that here. We've been waiting," Williams told Müller.
Vancouver sporting director Axel Schuster said that Thursday was "the greatest day since I joined the club. This is the day where we welcome Thomas Müller." The outgoing German then shouted unprompted "Hello, Vancouver!" to kick off what club officials are calling a new era for the club.
Schuster revealed that Müller's signing led to record sales for Whitecaps jerseys, unprecedented social media engagement and "a spike" in regular-season ticket sales.
"It's all great and it's wonderful for everyone at this club," Schuster said. "And we deserve it. The team deserves the attention we're getting. We're performing at a very high level."
Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sørensen said that Müller's arrival symbolizes what the club is becoming.
"For us it's extraordinary to have a player like Thomas," said Sørensen. "That sounds good," Müller said with a laugh. Sørensen would not confirm when Müller could make his MLS debut. "We'll have to figure that out in the next couple of days," he said.
It thus appears unlikely that the German will feature this Sunday when Vancouver hosts the Houston Dynamo at BC Place. But Müller said that the stadium's turf shouldn't be a problem.
"My knees are like the knees of a 15-year-old, the doctor said," Müller boasted with a smile. "So the knees are not a problem. I don't think I'll have a problem adapting. And normally on turf it's good for passing. You can pass it quickly.
"I want to be on the pitch as soon as possible," he continued. "I heard this is the best city in the world. I believe you. But I'm here to play soccer. I'm used to playing football. Now I'm here to play soccer. I don't know how many days I'll need. But I'm fit and I want to go full."
Müller then looked at Schuster and said "you wish the same" as Müller's classic banter continued. Sorensen retorted with "We certainly hope so, Thomas."
"Maybe when we talk in two weeks you'll have a different opinion," Müller joked. When a reporter rattled off Müller's career accomplishments, Müller responded, "Those numbers are really impressive."
Asked how he'll adapt to MLS play and the talent around him, Müller highlighted Vancouver's "active" approach to football as something that he can relate to.
"To have your foot on the gas and to control the game. When I talked to Jesper, we were aligned and we think very similar about the game," Müller said.
He then described himself as open-minded and humble. Seconds later, he imitated a young goat's bleat, followed by a precise rendition of an older goat's snort. Any awkward ice that needed to be broken was shattered at that moment as the room burst with laughter.
And like Lionel Messi, who signed with Inter Miami a year after winning the World Cup with Argentina, Müller was asked what motivates him to keep playing after winning the most important titles that the sport can offer.
"It's not about winning titles in the past," he said. "It's about winning titles in the future. That's what motivates me. And it's about the competition. Your own competition against yourself and against your teammates to earn your spot. I was always a competitive guy. My love is to play soccer and my body feels, even at this stage of my career, too good to retire."
Müller is joining a team that was runner-up in the Concacaf Champions Cup, is four points off the pace atop the Western Conference and sits six points out of first for the Supporters' Shield (with a game in hand). He said that conversations with former Germany captain and Chicago Fire star Bastian Schweinsteiger, LA Galaxy forward Marco Reus, former Whitecaps defender Florian Jungwirth and current New York Red Bulls striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting - all countrymen or former teammates - were important, but his decision to come to MLS is "about my story." Former Whitecap prodigy Alphonso Davies, who played six seasons with Müller at Bayern, also gave his blessing, particularly about the city of Vancouver.
"It's very interesting to be in this league with the (2026) World Cup coming," he said. "Vancouver is a host city so maybe the world is watching Vancouver more as a football city. I want to play my part to grow it a little bit. But I'm not here to grow it. I'm here to perform. Through our performances we will help it grow. That's my approach."
At 35, Müller's signing is a throwback to the MLS of old. And yet, players like the German, whose time in elite football has come to end, are still valuable assets for the league and for clubs like Vancouver. Messi's influence has played a part too. LAFC's new signing Son Heung-min told ESPN last week that "Messi changed my mind" after seeing the Argentine continue to perform at a high level for both club and country.
Now, all eyes will be on Müller and what he's capable of giving Vancouver.
"What can we get from Thomas that we need? We can get a lot I think," Sørensen said. "Experience is one thing but the quality of play, the football IQ, the way we play it's quite similar to how Thomas played before. We also need the toughness in situations where we need to get over a small hump. The players have done unbelievably this season but this should help us. It's a great signing for us."