Thomas Müller says he wants to help the city of Vancouver get out of the habit of accepting defeat—something he’s not accustomed to doing after a storied career with Bayern Munich.
On Wednesday, Müller’s Vancouver Whitecaps FC face Canadian Premier League side Vancouver FC for the first time, with the Canadian Championship on the line.
The Whitecaps are massive favorites, sitting fifth in MLS, and seeking their fourth-straight Voyageurs Cup. Meanwhile, Vancouver FC are the last-place team in the CPL and have only won four of 25 regular-season matches.
“When I came here, I talked to some people and they said we’re never winning anything,” Müller said, with the Whitecaps not having any MLS-era trophies outside the Canadian Championship. “When the Whitecaps are not winning, the [NHL’s] Vancouver Canucks are not winning, I got the feeling that Vancouver people, they accept not winning...I’m not used to that, and I want to change it a little bit.”
“We want to win every game. That's the mentality of our boys, also of the coaching staff, and we want to show this mentality also to our fans, to the crowds, to the city.”
With a victory, the Whitecaps would not only claim their first title of the 2025 season, after falling short in the Concacaf Champions Cup final, but Müller would also surpass Toni Kroos as the most decorated German player, with a 35th major trophy.
“I’m not playing for titles, I’m playing for the competition,” the six-time DFB Pokal champion added.
“You want to [win] to present your fans and the crowds some silverware and to have a party, but I’m not focused on making history. I’m focused on having this winning feeling, having this feeling that we are strong and we progress as a team and enjoy the game of football together. “
604 Derby Kicks off New Era in Vancouver
It all comes down to this 🏆
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) September 29, 2025
The 2025 TELUS #CanChamp Final goes Wednesday night at BC Place, featuring the first-ever meeting between neighbours @WhitecapsFC and @vanfootballclub 🍁 pic.twitter.com/OBajEyluYb
A fan vote ahead of Wednesday dubbed the match “The 604 Derby,” after Vancouver’s original telephone area code, but the rivalry’s potential is yet to be realized, and a one-sided match could temper tensions.
Still, any local battle brings back memories for Müller, having witnessed the feistiness between Bayern Munich and 1860 Munich over the years, and the continued rivalry even as the clubs have moved in opposite directions in the German pyramid.
“I’m excited for the Vancouver Derby. I'm not sure how important it is for the city. I wished it would be a little bit more important. We have two very big clubs in Munich [FC Bayern and 1860 Munich], former rivals, but the fan bases are still rivals. So it’s a little bit different, because I didn’t recognize a lot of this rivalry...but I’m excited.”
Whitecaps Massive Favorites vs. Vancouver FC
For the Whitecaps, it’s effectively the role of Bayern Munich. They are the heavy favourites, but as Müller knows from several DFB Pokal heartbreaks, that comes with no guarantees in cup games.
“The expectation is that we win, but it’s still a soccer game, and in soccer, you are able, even as a lower-class team, with tactics, and also if you go 100 percent, to get a little bit of luck on your side,” he said. "That’s what it is, and that’s what we have to deal with, but we are ready for it.“
Meanwhile, several Vancouver FC players will take on their former club, including Nicolás Mezquida, who helped the Whitecaps to their first Canadian Championship in 2015.
"This is so special, this is gonna be emotional to step onto the pitch at BC Place and see all of the fans of Vancouver FC and the Whitecaps,” Mezquida said, having returned to Canadian soccer with Vancouver FC after leaving the Whitecaps in 2018. “Everyone thinks the Whitecaps will win, so we have nothing to lose, enjoy playing and show that we’re here for a reason.”
“Nobody is going to give out the trophy for free, so you have to go for it...We are here, yes, it’s the Whitecaps, there’s Müller and everyone else there, but it’s also 11v11, at the end of the day.”
Kickoff on Wednesday is set for 7:30 p.m. PT / 10:30 p.m. ET, and the Whitecaps could welcome back captain and Designated Player midfielder Ryan Gauld, who has not played due to a knee injury since March 8.
READ THE LATEST MLS NEWS, TRANSFER RUMORS AND GOSSIP
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Thomas Muller Digs Out Vancouver Mentality, Strives for Culture Change.
