When Thomas Müller arranged for his parents to come out to Vancouver for his birthday, his message was clear: It was matchday, before it was a birthday.
Playing in front of his parents for the first time in a non-Germany or FC Bayern Munich kit on Saturday, he put together quite the 36th birthday celebration, scoring a hat-trick and providing an assist in Vancouver’s 7-0 trouncing of the Supporters’ Shield-leading Philadelphia Union.
“I told my parents first of all, I have not birthday, I have matchday, that’s what I'm looking for,” Müller said. “But, I know if you have a birthday, everyone gives you good wishes and I had a lot of messages, also from Germany all day.
“It was a great team effort, to be honest. Philadelphia was top of MLS, and to win 7–0, that’s a very special day.”
Thomas Müller hat trick! 🎩
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 14, 2025
It's 7-0 Vancouver. pic.twitter.com/8C8GYfXuqw
The performance saw the Whitecaps clinch a spot in the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs with six games remaining, and elevated them to third in MLS on points-per-game, keeping their hopes of chasing the Supporters’ Shield alive as well.
It also marked Vancouver’s biggest win since joining MLS in 2011 and the most goals Philadelphia had conceded in a single match, and Müller became the first MLS player to net a hat-trick on a birthday.
“We wanted to come out strong, and I also think that this was a great test for us. There was a little bit of a playoff vibe in this before coming into this game,” Vancouver head coach Jesper Sørensen said.
“It’s difficult not getting carried away after this, of course, when we've seen what we've seen and won 7–0. The players came out really strong.”
It had been three weeks since the Whitecaps last took to the pitch due to the international break and a rescheduled match against Orlando City SC, but they showed no rust in getting out to a 3–0 lead within 30 minutes.
For Müller, the output brought him to four goals and two assists in three MLS matches, but he was far from the only star.
What a hit to bag the brace 🚀
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 14, 2025
Sabbi beautifully places it from Müller's assist! pic.twitter.com/WiEGRkobYr
Ali Ahmed, who made his first start since the Whitecaps’ loss to Cruz Azul in the Concacaf Champions Cup final on June 1, put up an early assist, and American winger Emmanuel Sabbi scored a brace. 17-year-old Canadian forward Raayan Elloumi also scored on his home debut.
With electrifying runs down the left wing, Ahmed brought the form he has shown with the Canadian men’s national team to the Whitecaps, sparking the trouncing, and laying the potential for the rest of the season.
Come for the Ahmed speed and skill. ⚡
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 14, 2025
Stay for the Sabbi flip. 🤸♂️
Vancouver out to a 2-0 lead. pic.twitter.com/4TwOdapC7w
“Ali has been good the entire season. He has been missed, but in the absence of Ali, a lot of other players step forward and really also taken a group,” Sørensen said of Ahmed, who played significant minutes for Canada in wins over Wales and Romania last week.
“We were very fortunate that he got an hour in both games for Canada, because that’s really what he needed to elevate himself and his fitness. He was unbelievable.“
Eyes on Canadian Championship
Before the Whitecaps can look too far to the MLS Cup Playoffs, they have eyes on the Canadian Championship semifinals and the second leg against Canadian Premier League side Forge FC, who have only lost twice in 23 CPL matches this season, on Tuesday.
The ‘Caps are the three-time defending champions of the Voyageurs Cup, which serves as one of two Canadian entries to the Concacaf Champions Cup. It’s also Müller’s first chance to win a trophy.
“We want to go for the fourth in a row. It’s also a chance to get a title, an important title, to be Canadian Champion. It would qualify us for the Champions [Cup], so it’s very important to us not to hold back,” Müller said, with the winner of Forge vs. the Whitecaps set to face another CPL side in Atlético Ottawa or Vancouver FC in a final.
“[Today] was a really great team effort, and we should enjoy ourselves as Whitecaps players and also the Whitecaps supporters, maybe today, tomorrow and on Monday, we focus on Forge.”
Supporters’ Shield Hunt
Was this your birthday wish @esmuellert_? 😏#VWFC | #VANvPHI pic.twitter.com/57f3gFEEIS
— X - Vancouver Whitecaps FC (@WhitecapsFC) September 14, 2025
With a playoff spot secured, the Whitecaps now turn their attention to the rest of the fall and what a potential run to the Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup could look like.
Now third in the Western Conference, they trail leaders San Diego FC by four points, but have two games in hand. At the same time, they’re five points behind the Union for the Supporters’ Shield lead, but also have two fewer games played.
It will be a packed end of the season for the club, but with more fan investment than ever—Saturday was their fourth straight sellout—there’s hope this season can come with a crowning achievement, and maybe even a treble.
“We have to build some confidence to trust ourselves. I have a feeling we are very strong together as a group, a hard-working group, but even in our qualities, we can sometimes be a little bit more brave in situations, especially with the ball, but also sometimes without the ball,” said Müller.
“It's a long way to go, but I think we’re still or we're already thinking about it.”
The Whitecaps return to MLS action against Sporting Kansas City on Sept. 20 at Children’s Mercy Park.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘Very Special’—Thomas Muller Makes History to Lead Whitecaps to MLS Cup Playoffs.
