Thomas Müller named MLS Player of Matchday 33

VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC midfielder Thomas Müller was voted the Major League Soccer Player of Matchday 33 after his performance in the 'Caps historic 7-0 win over league-leading Philadelphia Union on Saturday. Müller becomes the second Whitecaps FC player to earn MLS Player of the Matchday this season, joining Brian White (Matchday 8).

In addition to being named Player of the Matchday, Müller was also one of six 'Caps named to the Team of the Matchday alongside Ali Ahmed, Sebastian Berhalter, Mathías Laborda, Emmanuel Sabbi, and head coach Jesper Sørensen.

On his 36th birthday, Müller scored a hat trick and added an assist in an incredible team performance at BC Place (Watch Highlights From His Performance Here). The German legend became the first player in MLS history to record a hat trick on his birthday. In his first three appearances, Müller is up to four goals and one assist for a surging Whitecaps FC side that is unbeaten (2W-0L-1D) in those three matches. The three-goal performance was Müller’s sixth career hat trick across both club and international play, with his most recent coming for Bayern Munich on April 17, 2018 in the DFB-Pokal semifinal against Bayer Leverkusen.

Vancouver’s seven-goal outburst against the Supporters’ Shield-leading Philadelphia Union saw the club move just five points back from Philadelphia with two games in hand. The 'Caps became the seventh team in MLS history to win a game by seven goals and the second this year, joining the New York Red Bulls (May 10). The seven goals were also a club record for a regular season match.

After jumping out to a 2-0 lead within the first 29 minutes, the Blue & White earned a penalty kick just before the half-hour mark, which Müller dispatched easily (Watch Here). On the stroke of halftime, Müller scored his second goal from the penalty spot, utilizing a stutter step to hesitate and then fire his effort into the bottom corner of the net (Watch Here). Following halftime, the German midfielder turned provider by slipping in Emmanuel Sabbi who curled a sensational effort into the top corner for a 5-0 lead in the 61st minute (Watch Here). Müller completed his hat trick two minutes from the end of the match as he latched on to a Giuseppe Bovalina header with a header of his own from close range to complete the 7-0 win (Watch Here).

Müller is the sixth former Bundesliga player to earn the honour this season, alongside Pep Biel (Charlotte FC), Roman Bürki (St. Louis CITY SC), Emil Forsberg (New York Red Bulls), João Klauss (St. Louis CITY SC), and Marco Reus (LA Galaxy).

Prior to resuming MLS action, the 'Caps will continue their chase for a fourth straight TELUS Canadian Championship in the second leg of the semifinal against Forge FC on Tuesday, September 16 (7 p.m. PT, TSN / OneSoccer / FuboTV / TELUS Ch. 980). Vancouver will then travel to face Sporting Kansas City on Saturday, September 20 (5:30 p.m. PT, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).

The MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Michelob Ultra is selected each matchday of the regular season through both media and fan voting in a process conducted by MLS Communications. A panel of journalists from the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) comprises 75 percent of the vote, while an Instagram fan vote represents the remaining 25 percent of voting. NASR consists of members of print, television, radio, and online media.