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BBC News
4 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Kane scores but misses penalty against Tottenham
Harry Kane scored a goal - and missed a penalty - against former club Tottenham Hotspur as Bayern Munich won a pre-season friendly 4-0 at the Allianz England striker controlled Michael Olise's excellent long pass before slotting in Bayern's in the 15th minute he slipped as he was taking a spot-kick and it sailed over the completely dominated and scored three times in the final half an Laimer dispossed Djed Spence and picked out Kingsley Coman, who curled in their then brought on a host of youngsters midway through the second half - with Kane one of those coming off - and two of them Karl, 17, hit a fantastic first-time effort from 18 yards and Jonah Kusi-Asare, 18, whipped in a fine shot from near the corner of the was Kane's second game against Spurs - he featured in a friendly at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last year - since his £86.4m move in 32-year-old is Spurs' all-time top scorer with 280 goals in 435 2025-26 season starts on Wednesday, 13 August with the Uefa Super Cup against Paris St-Germain in Udine.
The Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Harry Kane scores against Tottenham and then balloons penalty miles over after new signing gave away spot kick
HARRY KANE scored his first goal AGAINST Tottenham - and then ballooned a penalty over the bar against his old team. The England captain is playing in a friendly for Bayern Munich against Spurs at the Allianz Arena. 1 He netted his maiden strike versus the team he scored a record 280 goals for with a clinical finish with his left foot inside 12 minutes. Kane then had the chance to make it 2-0 four minutes later when Spurs new-boys Joao Palhinha - on loan from Bayern to Tottenham - felled Josip Stanisic in the box. But then, remarkably, Kane slipped as he ran up to take the spot-kick and fired into Row Z. It called to mind his famous penalty miss against France for England in the quarter-finals of the Qatar World Cup in 2022, when he skied the ball over the crossbar. Fellow Ballon D'Or nominee Michael Olise teed up Kane's goal, lofting a high ball from deep to the Three Lions star, who plucked it out of the air beautifully before firing into the far corner. Kane had been on the receiving end of a crunching tackle from ex-Spurs pal Cristian Romero earlier in the game.
New York Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Inside Thomas Müller's move to Vancouver: Details behind the Bayern legend's shocker
Axel Schuster could hardly stand still in the visitor's locker room of Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena. Schuster was then head of football operations for tiny FSV Mainz 05, a German team then with the smallest Bundesliga stadium, one-third of the size of Munich's behemoth. Yet the sounds he heard echoing through the stadium were of dismay on a September 2010 afternoon. Schuster's Mainz had just finished toppling the Bundesliga champions on their turf. Advertisement Schuster, now CEO and sporting director of the Vancouver Whitecaps, had every right to give into exuberance before a visitor stepped into the room. With the same firm hand he used to thump his own chest months earlier after scoring five goals at the World Cup, Thomas Müller shook Schuster's hand in congratulations. 'He has this passion, but he's a very fair sportsman,' Schuster recalled of Müller in a conversation with The Athletic. Very little mattered more to Müller than winning. It is a feeling that still encapsulates him today. But Müller could also recognize when another team offered possibility. That's what Müller saw in Schuster's team nearly 15 years ago, when the two first met and the down-to-earth Müller was coming off his breakout 2010 World Cup. 'He came, almost, out of the blue,' Schuster said. 'He was the most decisive player for Germany. There was huge excitement because that was the starting point of an era for the German national team, where we were competing in every single tournament.' And that possibility is what allowed Schuster to convince one of the greatest players of his generation to take a surprise step into the unknown. Müller, 35, left Bayern after a remarkable 17 seasons in Munich and the club record for most appearances (756). There, he became one of the most dangerous and fluid attackers of his generation, scoring 250 goals across all competitions. His unique ability to sniff out space around the box and play both as a creative midfielder and a clinical forward made Müller one of the most entertaining players during Bayern's dominance. Müller's resume could have led him into multiple new scenarios. Yet he ultimately went against convention and did not sign with one of MLS's bigger clubs, as high-profile imports often do. On Wednesday, Müller was formally announced as the newest member of the Vancouver Whitecaps. As a free agent, he did not command a transfer fee, and he will not require a designated player slot for the remainder of the 2025 season but will become a DP in 2026. Advertisement Müller immediately becomes not only the most important signing in Whitecaps history, but one of the highest-profile additions MLS has had in its 30 years. With insight from multiple sources, this is the inside story of Müller's shocking arrival in Vancouver – and what it reveals about the future of a team that, like Müller's Germany in 2010, has designs on stepping into a new era. Midway through the MLS season, the Vancouver Whitecaps wanted more. Frustrated by a 5-0 drubbing at the hands of Mexico's Cruz Azul less than two months earlier in the Concacaf Champions Cup final, they were hungry for another final. In the middle of having lost four of five MLS games, the Whitecaps needed to flip the script and regain their spot at the top of MLS's Western Conference. And after the offseason saw the Whitecaps put up for sale and enter the season with a payroll towards the bottom of the league, management and ownership were eager to remind onlookers that they were 'more engaged than ever,' in the words of Vancouver co-owner Jeff Mallett. The opportunity for the team to not only change the perception of them but also make an impact where it matters – in the standings – came from across the Atlantic Ocean. Schuster had become aware that FC Cincinnati owned the discovery rights to Müller. There was also an understanding in league circles that LAFC, being a partner club of Bayern Munich, could also make for an easy landing spot for Müller. Add in the fact that the Whitecaps are a self-aware organization and understand they are not the kind of team that comes to mind when stars want to transition to MLS. The Whitecaps would never fool themselves into thinking Vancouver was as attractive a landing spot as, say, Miami or Los Angeles, for curious stars. Even though Bayern had long announced Müller would not return and the two-time Champions League winner was looking for his next club, the Whitecaps didn't think they had a fighting chance. Schuster's experience working in management roles with Mainz and Schalke in Germany meant he had a relationship with Müller's two agents, Ludwig Kögl and Christian Romberg. Still, the message Schuster received wondering if he would be interested in talking about Müller caught him by surprise. Schuster shot back with healthy realism. Advertisement 'Are you serious? Do you know who we are?' he asked. Müller knew enough: Schuster's experience in Germany and where the Whitecaps stood in the standings spoke volumes. Müller also knew he was not interested in playing for Cincinnati. There were concerns that heading to a city with a heavy German population would turn him into a marketing machine, which he wanted to avoid. LAFC's interest in Müller was never as serious as perhaps Bayern would have wanted, either. The Whitecaps and Müller's representatives shared multiple exploratory calls midway through the summer. The team made it clear to Müller's camp early in the process that it could offer the best contract a player had ever been offered in club history. Vancouver quickly followed that statement by laying its cards out on the table: that contract offer might also be less than another club could offer. The Whitecaps didn't run from being a smaller-market team. But they tried to convince Müller's representatives of other intangibles: the natural beauty and relaxed pace of life of the city he'd be playing in; how the Vancouver climate was more akin to Munich's than most other MLS cities. During an early meeting, Whitecaps management took a quick jab at the unrelenting heat that Müller experienced in Charlotte, N.C., during Bayern's final group stage game at the 2025 Club World Cup. 'I think everybody knows that the city of Vancouver is very beautiful. It's worldwide known. But as well, the Whitecaps are reaching for something special this year,' Müller said in his introductory video on the Whitecaps social media channels. Müller responded well to the notion that Vancouver would put more financial might behind this signing than any previous player. That immediately led to a sense of mutual respect between the two parties. Yet Müller's most pressing question remained: Could the Whitecaps offer him what he truly wanted? Advertisement If Müller was interested solely in a pay day, he could have easily signed with a club in Saudi Arabia. Were he focused on building his brand in his next step, Müller likely would have stayed in Europe. Neither were of interest to him, however. He is equal parts gregarious and hermetic: always engaging with the media and open to sharing himself and his cheeky sense of humor on social media, Müller also eschews any sort of lavish lifestyle. 'Thomas Müller – One of a Kind,' the documentary released earlier this year, paints the portrait of a man who is most comfortable working with his equestrienne wife Lisa Trede amongst a stable of horses or calmly eating with his parents in their modest home in the village of Weilheim in Oberbayern. Vancouver's relaxed pace could offer Müller the kind of lifestyle he craves, all with two key pieces he felt were missing in opportunities in Saudi Arabia and Europe: the chance to win, and the chance to do so while playing compelling and attractive soccer. Winning – and doing so impressively – has become a way of life for Müller. Between his 13 Bundesliga titles, six DFB Pokals, two Champions Leagues and, of course, the 2014 World Cup, his time with Bayern Munich and Germany was symbolized by his respective teams reaching their greatest heights. Müller's intention was to arrive in MLS and immediately contend. Signing with a rebuilding club was never an option. What mattered was winning in a city where he would feel comfortable – and under a coach who inspired confidence. So the turning point in the negotiations came during Müller's first conversation directly with the club and, specifically, with Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sørensen. Müller, Schuster, Sørensen and Müller's representative gathered on an hour-long call. Yet for the first 45 minutes – longer than anyone anticipated – the topic remained focused. Müller was presented with detailed plans of how he would be used in the Whitecaps system and how his attacking qualities could help Vancouver win trophies. Advertisement Sørensen explained how he could keep Müller consistently close to the opposition's box. He broke down the spaces he thought Müller could occupy, but did so in a nuanced and conversational manner. He promised less positional rigidity and more efforts to keep Müller close to teammates on the pitch to make use of his stellar link-up play. 'The most important thing is we want to utilize his strengths high up the pitch,' Sørensen told The Athletic. It is likely Müller plays multiple positions for the Whitecaps, including from wide areas and underneath a striker. '(Müller) is more of a relational player than an individual player. He plays very well with his teammates and within the team. He's not the guy that normally takes on five, six players on his own, like some of the players we see in this league, like (LAFC winger) Denis Bouanga and players like this,' Sørensen said. The lively back-and-forth between Sørensen and Müller was free of video clips and tactical blueprints. It quickly became a stimulating conversation between two obsessive soccer minds. That Sørensen kept that conversation flowing and informal appealed to Müller's laid back off-the-pitch persona. That the Whitecaps didn't bring up any plans to market Müller in a specific way also appealed to him. 'I didn't want to sell him something, I think he's way too smart for that,' Sørensen said. Müller developed a sense of trust with and respect for Sørensen. Müller began to see himself playing for someone who understood the game and his qualities. He began to see himself winning under a coach whose possession-heavy and dynamic style has revolutionized the Whitecaps and turned them into an MLS Cup contender. 'Jesper has a great mindset as a person. You feel it when you talk to him,' Müller said. A few hours after the discussion, Müller's representatives called the Whitecaps with a clear message: Müller adored Sørensen. He thought his tactical brain could give him and the Whitecaps a chance to add to his trophy case. Advertisement Müller wanted to quickly get a deal done with Vancouver. As Müller's interest in Vancouver became cemented, there was the small matter of his contract. Müller was coming off earning a reported €15 million at Bayern in his final season. The Whitecaps couldn't hit that number but wanted to do what they could to lock him up. When Schuster let his ownership group know via group chat that the possibility of landing Müller was increasing, the team's owners could hardly believe a player of his caliber was on their doorstep. 'I don't want to get excited, but this is so exciting that I'm worried that something could get in the way and that it doesn't materialize or it doesn't happen at the end,' read the message. But in the end, the deal did happen. The Whitecaps ownership group agreed to hand out the largest contract in team history. During the MLS All-Star Game, Schuster met with FC Cincinnati for the first time to discuss acquiring Müller's discovery rights. MLS helped facilitate a deal that saw the Whitecaps send $200,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money (GAM), $100,000 in 2026 GAM and then a conditional $100,000 in 2026 GAM to Cincinnati. The two clubs dealt amicably throughout. There was a near week delay from the point the contract was verbally agreed to and pen being put to paper. During that time, Müller negotiated directly with MLS officials over his image rights. Müller was aware of the value of his arrival and status for a league in need of new stars to promote. He wanted a fair deal and wanted every aspect of his contract done fairly and kept above board. The announcement of the deal was then further delayed by tax lawyers carefully reviewing Müller's contract. After all, the German-born Müller had spent his entire career playing in Germany. His team had to ensure that the contract for a German moving to Canada to play in a U.S.-based league was completed thoroughly. Advertisement A brief conversation between Müller and his former Bayern teammate Alphonso Davies helped Müller feel even more confident about his move to Vancouver. Davies developed in the Whitecaps system before his own celebrated move to Bayern. 'He told me a lot of good things about the city and the Whitecaps. I was a little bit pumped,' Müller said. Now, it is Müller's hope that he can deliver to Vancouver the kind of trophies that have eluded the club. The Whitecaps believe he could be the missing piece to help them win its first MLS Cup this year and more in the future. '(Signing Müller) means for us that we are not at the end of a process, that we are in the middle of a process of developing this club and this team,' Schuster said. 'I want to develop something here in a sustainable way. And I think signing him now at this point should be a statement. We'll put the bar higher. And we want to compete in the way we have already competed this year, but we want to make the statement that we are not just a one-hit wonder. We want to do this on a consistent basis.' (Top illustration: Eamonn Dalton / The Athletic; Heuler Andrey/Eurasia) Spot the pattern. 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The Independent
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Is Tottenham vs Bayern Munich on TV? Kick-off time, channel and how to watch pre-season friendly today
Tottenham Hotspur travel to Germany to face Bayern Munich in their final friendly of pre-season today, as Thomas Frank puts his finishing touches on preparations for the 2025/26 season. The Dane has enjoyed a mixed start to life at his new club, with the signing of Mohammed Kudus followed by controversy over Morgan Gibbs-White and then a lack of notable activity in the market. However, his results in pre-season have produced positive performances, and today is the last match before the season 'begins' with the Uefa Super Cup match against PSG in Udine next week. While the Super Cup remains a friendly of sorts, it still marks a chance for another trophy and the perfect start for Frank, with the Dane looking to hit the ground running in the Premier League too come 16 August. Here's everything you need to know ahead of the match: When is Tottenham vs Bayern Munich? The match will take place on Thursday, 7 August at the Allianz Arena in Munich, with kick-off set for 5.30pm BST. How can I watch it? The match will not be shown on TV in the UK, but it will be shown live on SPURSPLAY, Tottenham's in-house website and app. However, users must purchase an annual subscription to the channel for £45. Team news This will be Spurs' first match in around a decade without Heung Min Son, with the former captain close to completing a move to MLS side LAFC. New signing Joao Palhinha has completed his move to Spurs, but this match may come too soon for the Portuguese, who only joined on Sunday. James Maddison is the primary injury concern for Spurs, with the England midfielder suffering what could be a season-ending injury during the tour of Asia. Dominic Solanke could return to the starting line-up after sitting out the match against Newcastle, while Lucas Bergvall, Mohamed Kudus, Mathys Tel and Pape Matar Sarr are all likely to retain their places Tottenham's preseason fixtures and results All kick-off times BST July 19: Reading 0-2 Tottenham - Madejski Stadium, Reading July 26: Luton 0-0 Tottenham - Kenilworth Road, Luton July 31: Arsenal 0-1 Tottenham - Kai Tak Sports Park, Hong Kong
The Sun
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Bayern Munich vs Tottenham: Bet £10 and get £40 in football free bets with SBK
TOTTENHAM travel to the Allianz Arena on Thursday to take on Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich in a pre-season friendly as part of the Telekom Cup. And bookmakers SBK have a great offer for brand new customers ahead of the friendly contest, with a tremendous £40 in free bets up for grabs! No SBK account? No problem! You can claim this terrific new customer offer right now, and it couldn't be any simpler. Firstly register a brand new account with SBK HERE * and then deposit and stake at least a tenner on anything - including football - at odds of Evens or greater. Once that initial bet has settled - win or lose - you'll receive the full £40 welcome bonus within 48 hours! *New UK customers. Min £10 first deposit. Place a bet of £10 at min odds of 2.0 and get £40 in Free Bets within 48 hours. Restrictions apply. Full T&Cs apply, 18+. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.
