Thomas Muller Kicks Off MLS Season by Delivering on Hilarious Whitecaps Guarantee

The German legend takes on his first full MLS season after joining the Whitecaps midway through 2025.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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Thomas Müller hilariously assured Vancouver Whitecaps would win ahead of the club's 2026 MLS season opener against Real Salt Lake on Saturday—and he lived up to his cheeky promise. Müller, 36, is in his first full MLS season with Vancouver after leading the club to the 2025 Western Conference title and the 2025 MLS Cup final. New signing AZ Jackson scored the lone goal in a 1–0 victory over Salt Lake in front of over 23,000 fans at BC Place.

Why it matters

This case highlights Müller's impact on the Whitecaps as they look to build on their 2025 success, while also facing uncertainty over the club's future in Vancouver amid ongoing stadium deal negotiations.

The details

Taking on their Western Conference foes to kick off the new season, Müller joked to MLS on Apple TV that 'for sure we are winning tonight,' and that he 'hopes [he] can laugh about it in two hours or three hours.' 90 minutes of soccer later, the Whitecaps secured a season-opening win, with new signing AZ Jackson scoring the lone goal. Although Müller didn't hit the scoresheet, he had an early chance ricochet off the post and was critical to the Whitecaps maintaining pressure to see out the lead.

  • The Whitecaps secured a season-opening win on February 22, 2026.
  • Müller joined the Whitecaps midway through the 2025 season.

The players

Thomas Müller

A 36-year-old German soccer player who is in his first full MLS season with the Vancouver Whitecaps after joining the club midway through the 2025 season.

AZ Jackson

A new signing for the Vancouver Whitecaps who scored the lone goal in their 1-0 victory over Real Salt Lake in the 2026 MLS season opener.

Jesper Sørensen

The manager of the Vancouver Whitecaps.

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What they’re saying

“I think it was a very good win for us. It was not the prettiest, but it was a very, very good win. And I can never talk about the player's mentality—it's always excellent. But the rhythm of play, we struggled a little bit right now, but we'll find it.”

— Jesper Sørensen, Manager, Vancouver Whitecaps (Post-match interview)

What’s next

The Whitecaps will face Costa Rica's C.S. Cartaginés in the Concacaf Champions Cup on Wednesday, February 26, 2026, before welcoming Canadian rivals Toronto FC to BC Place for the second week of MLS action.

The takeaway

Müller's impact on the Whitecaps is evident, as he helped lead the team to victory in their season opener with his leadership and playmaking abilities. However, the club faces uncertainty over its future in Vancouver, and this win provides a much-needed morale boost for the fans and the organization.