Great German Striker, Gerd Muller, is suffering from Alzheimer’s – Bayern

Legendary Germany and Bayern Munich striker Gerd Muller, who is the Bundesliga’s all-time top scorer, is suffering from Alzheimers, his club announced on Tuesday.

Nicknamed “Der Bomber” for his scoring prowess, Muller, a 1974 World Cup and 1972 European Championship winner, who also won three consecutive European Cups with Bayern, has been suffering from the disease since early this year.

“For some time now Gerd Muller has unfortunately been ill,” Bayern said in a statement ahead of Muller’s 70th birthday next month. “He is suffering from Alzheimer’s. Since February 2015 Gerd Muller has been treated professionally with strong support from his family.”

Muller, who won 13 titles at Bayern, played for the club from 1964 to 1979, scoring 533 goals in 585 games in all competitions — 365 in the Bundesliga. He also scored an astonishing 68 goals in 62 appearances for Germany, a mark surpassed only recently by Miroslav Klose, albeit in 141 games.

Muller also had a two-year stint at the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in the United States before returning to Bayern to work as a youth coach. “Bayern will always support Gerd Muller and his family, whenever necessary,” said club CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

“Gerd Muller is one of the greats of world football. Without his goals Bayern and German football would not be what they are today. Gerd was the kind of striker you will most likely never see again.”

His turn and speed plus his ability to score from every position made him the iconic figure of the 1970s Bayern and Germany teams but he was always more shy and reserved than his team mates Franz Beckenbauer and Uli Hoeness. “We ask in this difficult situation for him and his family for the necessary respect,” said Rummenigge.