Thomas Müller insists he has not thought about winning the Golden Boot for a second successive World Cup.
The Germany forward’s hat-trick in the 4-0 win over Portugal in Salvador propelled him to the top of the scoring charts for this tournament too but the Bayern Munich star said he is not focusing on personal records.
Müller, who scored five goals in South Africa to finish as joint top scorer, said: “Let’s remain objective here, this was just the first match.
“We just want to be world champions and if we do that, records may or may not come, but we have other things to focus on. A hat-trick at the World Cup doesn’t happen every day of course, but I have had a good run at World Cups and I wanted to pick up where I left off.
“I am known for giving my utmost, but no one could have assumed that would happen and I can’t say that will happen again in the next match, but I’ll certainly try.”
Müller's hat-trick was the Germans’ seventh World Cup treble in total – more than any other nation – with Argentina second on four.
“Thomas did really well up front and he constantly tore holes in the defence,” enthused coach Joachim Low after the Group G clash.
“He is a very unorthodox player and you can’t really predict his lines running, but he has one aim and that is ‘how can I score a goal?’
“That makes him so dangerous, especially in the box."
A decisive first-half saw Germany race into a 3-0 lead in Salvador as Müller converted a penalty, then fired home their third on the stroke of half-time after Mats Hummels scored with a header.
Muller, who normally plays as a winger or attacking midfielder for Bayern Munich, wrapped up his hat-trick with a scrappy effort in the dying stages.
“The whole team played incredibly compactly and hardly gave away any chances to counter-attack,” Loew said. “When we went 3-0 up, it was important to hold the ball and play more economically.
“Jerome Boateng did really well against (Cristiano) Ronaldo.”
Meanwhile, Germany defenders Hummels and Boateng were flown to hospital yesterday for scans after suffering injuries in their opening win.
Goal-scoring centre-back Hummels had to be helped off after 73 minutes, and a scan has revealed heavy bruising in his right thigh.
Right-back Boateng finished the match but tore a thumb muscle in his right hand and will need to wear a cast. He will be able to play in Germany’s next Group G match against Ghana in Fortaleza on Saturday.
Hummels, who scored Germany’s second against Portugal with a header, faces a race against time to be fit and it is unclear when he will be able to train again.
Neither the Borussia Dortmund defender or his coach thought the injury would be too bad in the wake of the 4-0 win, with Low saying: “I don’t expect it to be anything dramatic.”
