Thomas Müller didn’t feel ready to take the captain’s armband for Vancouver Whitecaps FC, but lived up to the task in just his second MLS game, scoring the 3–2 winning goal in the 14th minute of second-half stoppage time vs. St. Louis CITY SC.
“I was not sure if I should take the armband right away. After one week is maybe not the best idea, but I’m leading anyway. I don’t need a captain’s band to do that,” said Müller. “The team pushed me...but in the end, it’s not a big deal, but it’s a little bit of an honor.”
The 35-year-old may only be two weeks into Whitecaps tenure, but he has quickly settled in, and that showed through in his most crucial moment yet, as he beat Roman Burkï with the late spot kick after a controversial VAR review.
“It was an amazing moment for me,” Müller said. “On one hand, we have this pressure because with a penalty, you have a good chance to score. But what happens if you miss? You’re [the journalists] already writing your news, ‘Thomas Müller missed a penalty.’”
THOMAS MÜLLER FIRST MLS GOAL AT THE DEATH! 😱 pic.twitter.com/oVxj6J0kMe
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 24, 2025
Fittingly, the goal also came against a familiar goalkeeper in Burkï, who Müller had scored against five times previously in Der Klassiker matches between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.
Yet, the win did not erase a problematic performance in Müller’s mind. He was not pleased with Vancouver’s finishing on a night that saw them post 3.53 xG compared to St. Louis’s 1.37 and outshoot the visitors 22–7.
“To be honest, we needed too many chances to score goals. That’s what my thoughts are after these two games,” Müller said. “It felt very dominant, but they scored twice, so it felt a little bit awkward. In this game, we had a good effort and we had a great mentality... In the end, it worked out in front of our fans.”
Now, though, the Whitecaps will look to three weeks without a single match after their clash against Orlando City SC was postponed due to the Lions’ advancing to the Leagues Cup semifinal against Inter Miami.
Settling in Quickly
“Thomas’ presence is already on the training ground, and he’s already become a focal point for us,” head coach Jesper Sørensen told reporters. “I wanted to keep him in [for 90 minutes], as we have a long break.”
“He obviously is going to need some extra recovery time, of course, he will...age is what it is, but he’s a great professional. He’s very good at preparing himself. He also knows when to take a break in the game.”
Unlike several aging European superstars in MLS, Müller has also regularly addressed the media and engaged with fans, while bringing supporters into his life through his social media channels, showcasing him cycling and enjoying other elements of the Canadian west coast.
“I’m being completely honest when I have my social media profiles. I’ve been in a special place my whole life,” Müller said in German. “You also feel in this situation that we are on the way to being able to achieve something special, and of course, I want to help contribute to that.”
Trophy Chase Looms
With the comeback win against St. Louis, the Whitecaps kept themselves in the hunt for the Supporters’ Shield, sitting on 47 points, just seven back of the Philadelphia Union for top spot in MLS and four back of San Diego FC at the height of the Western Conference.
While they will wait until their next match on Sept. 13 for a critical contest against the Union, the upcoming fall months see the club with a treble in sight, as they chase silverware after a formative transfer window.
Hoisting MLS Cup on Dec. 6 will remain the primary goal for any club at this point, but the Whitecaps also have their eyes on a fourth straight Canadian Championship title, as well as a late run towards the Supporters’ Shield.
“I’m really having fun, and the spectators had fun, and we want to look forward to the Canadian Championship,” Müller said. “We have some really interesting games for the city and that’s why I think it’s a good time in this phase of the season.”
“I have no experience in the playoffs. I had knockout stages in the Champions League. In my mind, I think about, okay, maybe this is similar, and the teams we get there, stage by stage, they’re really good.”
The Whitecaps may have a long time off to train, but they are ready to take their big swings in the next few weeks and look to secure a few trophies after falling agonizingly short in the Concacaf Champions Cup final in June.
“We have to be humble, and we have to be also very confident,” Müller added. “I really believe in this project. It means so much to me. I have the sense that we can really get something going here in Vancouver, start a fire, and get the people excited. That’s what I am here for.”
READ THE LATEST MLS NEWS, TRANSFER RUMORS AND GOSSIP
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Thomas Muller Scores Controversial First Whitecaps Goal in Dramatic Late Win.