In Vancouver Whitecaps vs LAFC, Son and Müller continue intriguing history

When the Vancouver Whitecaps and Los Angeles FC meet in Saturday night’s Western Conference final, it will resume one of the MLS’ more frequently played postseason fixtures in recent seasons.

It will also see two stars collide who have some intriguing competitive history of their own, with none of it previously coming on this side of the Atlantic.

Vancouver’s Thomas Muller and LAFC’s Son Heung-Min will meet for the 10th time in their careers across club and international competition when they take to the pitch at BC Place.

They’ve both been crucial to their sides’ success (see the stats in the image). And moreover, they’re no strangers to facing each other on even bigger stages.

From their early days competing against each other in the Bundesliga, to one mano a mano UEFA Champions League clash, to a meeting at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, here’s a look back at how the two fared in direct competition.

Bundesliga Dominance

Müller mostly got his way when his Munich sides faced Son in the league

Müller and Son played directly against each other seven times during the five seasons they spent as Bundesliga rivals, and Müller’s Bayern Munich sides posted a record of 5W-2D-0L in those occasions.

Remarkably for two players who were fairly prolific scorers, the two men only scored one goal between them during those meetings, when Müller got the second during a 3-0 victory on November 3, 2012.

Son would finally earn a league win against Bayern in his final time facing Die Roten with Leverkusen, but Müller didn’t take part in that one.

Son Sinks The Germans

At the 2018 FIFA World Cup, his insurance tally sealed one of the tournament’s biggest upsets

Son didn’t have much team success in Germany against its most decorated side, but he got some revenge when his Korea Republic Football side faced Der Mannschaft in both teams’ final group game at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

The Koreans had already been eliminated from knockout phase contention heading into Matchday 3 in a difficult Group F that also included Mexico and Sweden. But more surprising was how Germany entered the fixture needing a victory and some help to progress.

With the Germans needing goals in the second half, Müller came on in the 63rd minute for Leon Goretzka to try and provide the four-time World Cup champions a more attacking posture.

Instead, they conceded twice in second-half stoppage time, including a memorable tally from Son that made it clear beyond doubt the Germans would go no further. It also sealed South Korea’s first-ever competitive fixture win over Germany in three all-time meetings.

Müller’s Last Big Trophy

Son’s Spurs barely troubled the Bayern side that won the 2019-2020 Champions League

Of all the honors Müller won as part of Germany’s most decorated club, perhaps none were more special than his second Champions League title, captured at the end of an extremely unusual 2019-2020 season that concluded in the relatively early days of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the group stage, Müller’s Bayern twice beat Son’s Tottenham Hotspur, but the German legend only played in the latter affair.

It was a relatively low-stakes affair, with both sides already assured progress to the last 16, and Bayern having virtually wrapped up the top spot in the group. Even so, Die Roten were clinical if not overwhelming, easily defeating Spurs 3-1 to continue what would go down as one of the great UCL campaigns of all time.

By the time it was over, Bayern had won all 11 matches it played en route to the title while outscoring its foes by an astonishing 45-8 margin.

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