Vancouver: German football icon Thomas Mueller’s long-awaited Major League Soccer debut was filled with passion, drama, and a touch of frustration as his first strike for Vancouver Whitecaps was ruled out for offside in a 1-1 draw against Houston Dynamo.
The 35-year-old former Bayern Munich star entered BC Place to a thunderous ovation from the 26,301 fans in the 61st minute, with Vancouver already ahead thanks to Brian White’s sixth-minute penalty. Within minutes of his introduction, Mueller looked to have scripted a dream debut by smashing the ball into the back of the net only for the goal to be cancelled for offside.
“Mixed feelings, mixed feelings,” Mueller admitted afterwards. “The result is disappointing. I came on, scored in my first moment, the crowd went crazy but then it was taken off. That’s football.”
The Whitecaps, who officially unveiled Mueller just last week after he signed through the end of the 2025 season with an option for 2026, had built up the evening as a landmark occasion. The German great, a World Cup winner and 13-time Bundesliga champion with Bayern, arrived at the stadium through a sea of fans, high-fiving supporters and acknowledging the excitement around his MLS chapter.
Vancouver seemed poised to seal victory until Houston’s Artur struck a spectacular long-range equalizer deep into second-half stoppage time, leaving the Whitecaps with just a point. The result kept Vancouver in third place in the Western Conference with 46 points six adrift of leaders San Diego and one behind Minnesota.
For Mueller, the experience was both a reminder of football’s unpredictability and the beginning of a fresh journey after 25 years at Bayern Munich. “I’m very happy to be here. The crowd was amazing,” he said. “Now my first game is done, and next week I can start a normal rhythm. This week has been crazy, but it’s just the beginning.”
Despite the disallowed goal, the German veteran’s arrival has already electrified the Vancouver fan base, and all eyes will be on whether his second outing brings the fairytale finish denied on his debut.