#WorldCupRank: No. 28 Thomas Mueller

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No. 28 Thomas Mueller, Bayern Munich/Germany

Why he's ranked: Mueller has been a key figure for Bayern Munich under Pep Guardiola's watch in his first Bundesliga campaign and expectations around the 24-year-old German are so high this summer. Intelligent in his runs, crisp in his passing and clinical when presented with a chance, Mueller will be a vital cog for Germany at Brazil 2014.

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caption: Bayern Munich and Mueller cruised to the Bundesliga title. Will the same be true of Germany at the World Cup?
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Key stat: Scored the most goals for Germany at the 2010 World Cup (five) and won the tournament's Golden Boot.

What The Experts Say: "He calls himself the 'Raumdeuter,' lord of ubiquity. His instincts tell him where it's best to appear to do damage. In [Joachim] Löw's mind, it is he and 10 more players on the pitch." - Rafa Ramos

"The self-styled 'space interpreter' is impossible to categorise as a player, and just as hard for his opponents to handle, too. Müller is neither particularly athletic nor technical, so the Bayern Munich midfielder/striker/jack-of-all-trades uses his intelligence to find ways to goal." - Raphael Honigstein

Other articles:
- ESPN FC Blogs: Germany
- The countdown: Our Top 50 players of the World Cup