German legend Gerd Mueller believes Thomas is their best player

Updated on: 03 July,2010 08:16 AM IST |
Carlos Monteiro |

Germany's record World Cup goalscorer Gerd Mueller has given his 20-year-old namesake Thomas Mueller, the top hitman for the Germans in South Africa, a huge wrap

Germany's record World Cup goalscorer Gerd Mueller has given his 20-year-old namesake Thomas Mueller, the top hitmanu00a0 for the Germans in South Africa, a huge wrap.

Thomas Mueller, coming off the back of a stellar season with Bayern Munich, opened his account with a fine goal against Australia in the first round. But it was against arch rival England in the knock-out clash that Mueller made the world take notice of his prodigious striking power. His two piledrivers in three second-half minutes simply killed off any hopes of an England revival.

Astonishingly, the tall, rangy forward has just six international caps, the first of which only came in March.

Just over 12 months ago, he was still playing in the Bayern Munich reserves.

"Two goals in one World Cup match does not happen too often," Thomas said.

"But now I want more. I want to score five or six goals here," he added.

Mueller will get the opportunity to add to his goal tally when the German juggernaut rolls up to face Diego Maradona's Argentina in Capetown tonight.

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