gettyimages-495015625.jpg
Getty Images

Former Bayern Munich and Germany striker Gerd Muller has died at the age of 75.

Muller, who began his career with 1861 Nordlingen and ended it with NASL team Fort Lauderdale Strikers, is best known for his time at Bayern Munich, where he won three European Cups, four German titles and was named European footballer of the year in 1970. With Germany he won the 1972 European Championships and 1974 World Cup.

Bayern paid tribute to him after he passed away in the early hours of Sunday morning. Team president Herbert Hainer said: "Today is a sad, dark day for FC Bayern and all its fans. Gerd Muller was the greatest striker there's ever been, and a fine person and character of world football. 

"We're all united in deep mourning with his wife Uschi as well as his family. FC Bayern wouldn't be the club we all love today without Gerd Müller. His name and memory will live on forever."

One of the greatest strikers ever to play football, Muller is the all time record goal scorer for Bayern Munich (for whom he scored 566 goals in 607 competitive games) and the Bundesliga. Nicknamed Bomber der Nation (the nation's Bomber) or simply Der Bomber, he also held the scoring record for the German national team for 40, from 174 until 2006, years with 14 goals scored at World Cups, until he was overtaken by Miroslav Klose.

Following his retirement he spent time working with Bayern as a coach in their youth setup. In October 2015 it was announced he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

"The news of Gerd Muller's death deeply saddens us all," said Bayern CEO Oliver Kahn. "He's one of the greatest legends in the history of FC Bayern, his achievements are unrivalled to this day and will forever be a part of the great history of FC Bayern and all of German football. 

"As a player and a person, Gerd Muller stands for FC Bayern and its development into one of the biggest clubs in the world like no other. Gerd will forever be in our hearts."