Thomas Müller has said he is angry and surprised after being told by Germany manager Joachim Löw on Tuesday that his international career is over, along with other World Cup winners Jérôme Boateng and Mats Hummels.

Löw explained in his shock announcement that he was looking for a “new beginning” after going out of the group stage of the 2018 World Cup and finishing last in their Nations League group and thus being relegated.

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“Of course I was surprised by the decision of the coach,” Müller said in a video posted on Instagram. “A national team coach has to make sporting decisions, I don’t question that. But the longer I think about it, the more I’m angry about the way this has happened. I have no understanding for the suggested definitiveness of this decision.



“Mats, Jérôme and I are still capable of playing football on the highest international level. We have had a long and – most of the time – successful career with the DFB and I think it’s not a classy way if prefabricated statements from the DFB are published shortly after we learn about the coach’s decision.

“I think this has nothing to do with appreciation. I was always proud to wear the jersey, I’ve given everything, I wanna thank you for your support, it was an incredible journey.”

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Müller has a century of Germany caps and is still just 29 years of age. Boateng and Hummels are both 30 years old, and have 74 and 70 international appearances respectively. All three won the World Cup in 2014 and play their club football for Bayern Munich, with the Bundesliga side issuing their own statement on Wednesday.

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“As a matter of principle, we do not comment on the sporting decisions of the national coach as the selection of the national team squad is solely the responsibility of Joachim Löw,” read the statement, signed by club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic. “At the same time, we question the timing and circumstances of the announcement of this decision to the players and the public. The last Germany international fixture was played on 19 November 2018.

“We are disappointed that the players and the public have been informed of this decision some three and a half months later immediately before crucial games for FC Bayern, on Saturday against VfL Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga title race and a few days later the decider in the second leg of the Champions League Round of 16 tie against Liverpool on Wednesday. Moreover, we were surprised this happened yesterday as part of an unannounced visit by Joachim Löw and Oliver Bierhoff (director of Germany team and Academy) to FC Bayern.”