Munich (dpa / lby) - Bayern star Thomas Müller has been honored with the Bavarian Sports Prize. The national soccer player received the Prime Minister's personal prize. "Thomas Müller is one of the greatest footballers in history - powerful, self-confident and always cool and personable. He is a role model for Bayern all over the world," said Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) on Friday.
Müller (33), who will miss FC Bayern in the Bundesliga this weekend due to a gastrointestinal infection, said: "Bavaria is my homeland, both in terms of football and my whole life, so I'm obviously very happy about this award especially."
According to the company, the Bavarian Sports Prize honors stars and initiatives every year "that make the positive effect of sport in society visible in a special way and shape sporting life in an imaginative way."
The award has been presented in various categories since 2002. Last year, dressage rider Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, who won two gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics, received the Prime Minister's Personal Prize.
The gala for the Bavarian Sports Award will take place on Saturday (7:00 p.m.) in the "BMW World" at Munich's Olympic Park.
