Thomas Müller     22     Midfielder/Forward     Bayern Munich

Where do you go after you’ve won the Golden Boot at the 2010 World Cup and also been voted best young player at the same tournament?

Perhaps Thomas Müller’s impact in South Africa was due to his status as a surprise package, but also because he is an excellent young player playing in teams both domestic and international whose systems suit his game perfectly.

As modern day football reimagines the attacking player’s role following Barca and the Spanish national side’s influence, the tall and elegant Müller is at the forefront of the German team’s charge toward the UEFA 2012 European Championships.

Now some reading this will point to a dip in form last season, and goals arriving in short bursts rather than a constant and consistent flow.  Müller also found himself on the end of a public ticking off from former manager Louis van Gaal and has suffered a little in front of goal so far this season, but these things are all relative.  Müller has only just turned 22 and any kind of trough is entirely reasonable.

The high standards that Müller has set would be almost impossible to maintain for any other player barring a certain Argentinian at Barca or a Portuguese winger in Madrid, but the Weilheim born midfielder deserves to be mentioned in this company. Whisper it for fear of bringing the bookies odds down even further, but who would bet against him taking the top scorer prize at next years Euro's or indeed, lifting the trophy as part of a triumphant (and frighteningly young) German side?

“The future. Never going to be as prolific as namesake Gerd (who is?) but a very good finisher who is difficult to pick up running from far deeper than a traditional centre forward” – John Dobson (Journalist)

C+ No longer a surprise but still maintaining high standards.  You really are quite a player.