Thomas Müller from FC Bayern Munich can play his 500th Bundesliga game on Saturday (from 3:30 p.m. in the Audio Livestream and in the live ticker on Sportschau.de) against the 1st FSV Mainz 05. In doing so, he joins an illustrious group of large football icons.
So far, only twelve players have completed 500 or more games in the list of footballers with the most Bundesliga missions. Müller could now increase the elitist ranking to 13 actors.
Reuter within reach
Before the 35-year-old, Stefan Reuter is 502 games. Müller can overtake him by the end of the season and take place twelve. For eleventh place, which Uli Stein occupies, it will no longer be enough, because Müller leaves Bayern at the end of the season. It is uncertain whether it will continue for him in the Bundesliga. Incidentally, Manuel Neuer is in eighth place with 521 encounters – next to Müller, the only player who is still active.
“The loyal Charly” in first place
The list has it all. Karl-Heinz Körbel is enthroned at the top. The “loyal Charly” played 602 Bundesliga games. And all for a single club: Eintracht Frankfurt. You have to let it melt on your tongue: to achieve this number, you have to play 18 seasons without downtime.
Injuries can destroy such ahead, but Körbel was rarely out. Even though he played as an iron -hard central defender. Who always acted with a lot of eye, but was also known as a tough duplex. He did not protect his opponents or himself.
| player | Missions |
|---|---|
1. Karl-Heinz Körbel | 602 |
2. Manfred Kaltz | 581 |
3. Oliver Kahn | 557 |
4. Klaus Fichtel | 552 |
5. Miroslav Votava | 546 |
6. Klaus Fischer | 535 |
7. Eike Immel | 534 |
8. Manuel Neuer | 521 |
9. Willi Neuberger | 520 |
10. Michael Lameck | 518 |
11. Uli Stein | 512 |
12. Stefan Reuter | 502 |
13. Thomas Müller | 499 |
The loyalty to the club was not unusual in the former Bundesliga years. The number two in the ranking – Manfred Kaltz – also only played for a club in the Bundesliga: Hamburger SV.
Kaltz scored 76 goals as a full -back. However, 53 of them were penalty hits – Kaltz was considered to be extremely accurate from the point. The European champion in 1980 was also known for his “banana flanks”. Oliver Kahn, Klaus Fichtel and Mirko Votava follow in the other places.
Fischer the only striker in the top ten
The only striker among the top ten is Klaus Fischer. The classic storm tip – extremely header and famous for its fall back – came to 535 missions between 1968 and 1988. It would have been more if he had not missed most of the 1972/73 season because of his participation in the Bundesliga scandal.
Klaus Fischer with a fall back
Willi Neuberger was the first with 500 games
It continues with the goalkeepers Eike Immel and Manuel Neuer. Willi Neuberger was the first player in April 1982 in April 1982 to have more than 500 Bundesliga games. Michael Lameck completes the top ten, who only ran for VfL Bochum in his career. As far as club loyalty is concerned, Müller is even among the top four. Only Körbel, Kaltz, Lameck and he played for just one club.
| player | club | Missions |
|---|---|---|
1. Karl-Heinz Körbel | Eintracht Frankfurt | 602 |
2. Manfred Kaltz | Hamburger SV | 581 |
3. Michael Lameck | VfL Bochum | 518 |
4. Thomas Müller | FC Bayern Munich | 499 |
Master shell for Müller in the 500th game?
It remains to be hoped that Müller will be on the pitch on Saturday. In his view, the crowning glory would also be certain if Bayern make the title clear in his 500th Bundesliga game – it would be 13 for Müller.