Mueller wins praise from goal great Gerd Mueller

Thomas Mueller wears the No. 13 Germany shirt that once belonged to scoring great Gerd Mueller, who believes that's not the only thing that unites them.

The younger Mueller scored in the 4-0 win over Australia on his World Cup debut Sunday in another highlight of an incredible season that includes winning the domestic double and reaching the Champions League final.

Not bad for a 20-year-old forward who was playing for Bayern Munich's reserve side in Germany's third division last year.

``I still haven't grasped how quickly it all went,'' Mueller said Tuesday. ``I will probably realize it only late in my career. My career is still at the beginning and I've only had time to think about the next game.''

Mueller scored against Australia by twisting around and slotting the ball into the net off the post, later saying the strike reminded him of a famous goal.

``When I saw the replay on television, I thought: 'That's like Gerd Mueller against the Netherlands,''' he said of the scorer's 14th World Cup goal in Germany's victory in the 1974 final.

Mueller picked the No. 13 shirt - worn by captain Michael Ballack before injury ruled him out of the World Cup - because there were few other options.

``The older players had first choice so when it was my turn to pick a number there were only 4, 13 and 14 left, and I couldn't resist it,'' he said.

The 64-year-old Gerd Mueller, who was in the German camp on Tuesday, coached Thomas in Bayern's amateur ranks and knows him well.

``It's good to see the No. 13 worn by another Mueller. He is a good kid, he can play on the right or on the left side, he can shoot with either left or right foot and he reminds me of myself. He twists exactly like I did,'' Gerd Mueller said.

That kind of versatility has made Mueller a Bayern regular in his first season. While his Bayern and Germany teammates Miroslav Klose and Mario Gomez had often warmed the bench, Mueller played all 34 Bundesliga games.

Mueller started from the opening round and scored 13 goals, Bayern's second highest scorer after Arjen Robben with 15.

``Mueller plays always,'' Bayern coach Louis van Gaal said during the season.

Van Gaal used Mueller as forward, winger and midfielder. That ability to adapt easily into different roles caught the eye of Germany coach Joachim Loew, who picked him for the World Cup even though he had not previously played for the national team.

Mueller's only international appearances before the World Cup were two warm-up games in the buildup to the tournament.

He fits well into Loew's usual game plan to move the ball quickly forward once Germany gains possession.

``I am glad that we got off to a good start and that I could contribute. I think I played well,'' Mueller said. ``We have to be careful, however, and we have to play with the same passion.''

While Gerd Mueller was short and stocky with powerful thighs, Mueller is lanky with slender legs.

``I know him well, we often speak when we see each other at the club. It's nice to get praise from him but I don't think I will surpass his record of 365 Bundesliga goals,'' Thomas said.

Gerd Mueller also is Germany's all-time top scorer with 68 goals in 62 games, a record that will be hard to beat.