German midfielder and long-time Bayern Munich player Thomas Müller isn’t leaving anytime soon as he extended his contract with the Bundesliga giant until 2023. Müller signed the extension in true social distancing fashion.
@OliverKahn: "We’re glad we’re keeping a figurehead like Thomas Müller at the club. He’s shaped the club for more than ten years with his great football and his likable personality." #Müllered2023@esmuellert_ pic.twitter.com/hTdJH7dhsi
— FC Bayern US (@FCBayernUS) April 7, 2020
The 30-year-old is part of a rare breed of one-club men. How long has Müller played for Bayern Munich? Müller has been part of Bayern’s system since he was 10 years old and has been playing professionally with the club for nearly 12 years, making his senior debut for the first team on Aug. 15, 2008.
Müller is one of a few active one-club men that have played more than 10 seasons with a single club.
In the Premier League, Andy King has been among the Leicester City ranks since the 2007-08 season. King has played from League One to the top flight all with the Foxes. Lately he has experienced several loan spells to the likes of Swansea City, Derby County and Rangers.
Lionel Messi is one of the most notable one-club men. It would seem wrong to see Messi wear any other kit than Barcelona’s.
Messi has been with the Catalan club for most of his life and has played with the first team since the 2004-05 season.
In Ligue 1, defender Loïc Perrin has one of the longest tenures with one singular club. Perrin has been with Saint Etienne since the 2003-04 season.
No question, @goal
@loicperrin_24 https://t.co/IwvVu3xii0 pic.twitter.com/5UxNslytOi— ASSE English (@ASSE_english) July 26, 2019
Finally, the longest active one-club man is goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev, who has been with CSKA Moscow’s first team since 2002. Akinfeev has made more than 600 appearances for the club. He still has major ground to make up on Brazilian goalkeeper Rogerio Ceni, who is one of the greatest in one-club men history.
15 years ago, Igor Akinfeev made his debut for CSKA Moscow at the age of 16. Since then, he has established himself as one of the greatest Russian goalkeepers ever, and broken numerous records set by Lev Yashin and Rinat Dasaev.https://t.co/ZCfzTXmGYp pic.twitter.com/UwDTln8nwy
— Toke Theilade (@TokeTheilade) March 29, 2018