New documentary about Bayern star
Müller played with serious injury for months
Updated on July 26, 2025 – 07:15 a.m.Reading time: 2 min.
In a new documentary, Thomas Müller speaks for the first time about a serious, hidden injury for years – and why he decided against an operation.
Thomas Müller has already had several professional years at FC Bayern – with strikingly few failures. Now the 35-year-old reveals that his career was not entirely without injuries: In a document published on Friday, the Bayern star reveals that he suffered a biceprot in 2012-and still continued to play.
The trigger was a duel with Cologne’s goalkeeper Michael Rensing in May 2012. Müller describes in the documentary “The Original 25”: “I somehow go into the duel and then fell on the shoulder. I then had a few months pain in the biceps and in this region. They were so nerve pain and I didn’t know exactly what it was.”
Despite the persistent complaints, Müller continued – until he fell unhappily after playing basketball after training: “I ran into Jérôme Boateng with an outstretched arm. And suddenly the pain was gone. I didn’t think anything about it.”
It was only two weeks later that a physiotherapist ceased that his arm looked “strange”. Müller explains: “There is a hole here that doesn’t belong. The muscle slips down there.” The diagnosis: biceps tendon tear-also known as Popeye syndrome.
Despite the diagnosis, the world champion decided against an operation – for career reasons. “Then you would have been out for three months,” he says. And further: “It was much more important to me at the time and it would probably be much more important to me today. You fight for your place every day.”
To date, the injury is visible, but hardly catches it. Müller emphasizes: “If I don’t want to become a weightlift, I don’t really have disadvantages. Perhaps a little bit visually.”
After 25 years at Bayern, with 13 championships and two Champions League titles, Müller did not receive a new contract in Munich. Los Angeles FC from the MLS was recently a favorite for an obligation.
In the new video documentary “The Original 25”, which has been available on FC Bayern TV since Friday evening, the record player looks back on his career at Bayern. Müller left it open where he was going from Munich. One thing is clear: his football career is not over yet – and Europe no longer plays a role.