Germany: 1974 World Cup hero Gerd Müller dies

World Cup-winning German football legend Gerd Müller, widely regarded as one of the game's greatest goalscorers, has died at the age of 75, his former club Bayern Munich said on Sunday.

Müller struck 68 times in 62 internationals for West Germany and is third in the all-time list of World Cup goalscorers, with 14, behind Brazil's Ronaldo (15) and Germany's Miroslav Klose (16).

He won the 1972 European Championships with West Germany and enjoyed 15 trophy-laden years at Bayern.

Triumph on the biggest stage of all

But it's his role in his national team's 1974 success, for which Müller will be most remembered.

His international career started in 1966 and ended eight years later, in Munich, when, in his last ever match for West Germany, he scored the winning goal against Johan Cruyff's the Netherlands, to seal World Cup glory. 

In May this year, Müller relinquished the record number of goals scored in a Bundesliga season, when Robert Lewandowski notched up his 41st of the 2020-21 campaign. With it, the Polish striker surpassed Müller's tally of 40 — a record that had stood for almost half a century.

Tributes pour in

The German Football Association (DFB) said it "is mourning the passing of one of the greatest German footballers of all time. Rest in peace, Gerd Müller. Our thoughts are with his wife and family at this time."

Former Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola offered his "condolences" and said football had lost a "true legend. The best striker in history."

The German club's President Herbert Hainer said: "Today is a sad, dark day for FC Bayern and all its fans. Gerd Müller was the greatest striker there's ever been, and a fine person and character of world football. FC Bayern wouldn't be the club we all love today without Gerd Müller. His name and memory will live on forever."

Former German national team goalkeeper Oliver Kahn added to the tributes, as he said Müller's "achievements are unrivaled to this day and will forever be a part of the great history of FC Bayern and all of German football. As a player and a person, Gerd Müller stands for FC Bayern and its development into one of the biggest clubs in the world like no other."

He added: "Gerd will forever be in our hearts."

Born on November 3, 1945, in Nördlingen, Bavaria, Müller had been suffering from dementia in recent years.

He leaves behind his wife Uschi and a daughter.