[Watch] German footballer Thomas Muller unveils Indian cricket jersey, thanks Virat Kohli
German footballer Thomas Muller on Monday, November 13, received an Indian cricket jersey with his name and number printed on it. The 34-year-old also wished the Indian men's cricket team ahead of the semi-final stage in the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023.
Muller has made 125 appearances for the German men's football team since his debut in March 2010. He also plays for Bayern Munich in Germany's top-tier football league - Bundesliga - having featured in 470 matches for the club.
The 2014 World Cup champion posted a video on his X account, formerly known as Twitter, where he unveiled the Indian team shirt and also tagged star Indian batter Virat Kohli in the caption.
He wrote in the post:
"Look at this, @imVkohli 😃🏏 Thank you for the shirt, #TeamIndia! 👍 Good luck at the @cricketworldcup #esmuellert #Cricket"
Watch the video here:-
This isn't the first time Thomas Muller has shown his support for the Indian men's team in a cricket World Cup. Ahead of India's campaign in the 2019 World Cup held in England and Wales, the German professional footballer was seen donning an India jersey while extending his support for the-then Virat Kohli-led side.
He had then shared the photo on X along with the caption:
"I wish all participants of the Cricket #WorldCup2019 good luck & thrilling matches. Especially I cross my fingers for @imVkohli , the captain of the Indian team. He`s a fan of @DFB_Team and supported it multiple times in the past 🏏✊😃 #Cricket #GermanyCheersForIndia #esmuellert"
Virat Kohli has been an ardent follower of the German football team, which is also called DFB (Deutscher Fußball-Bund). The Indian cricketer has also supported Germany in major football tournaments like the World Cup and Euros.
Kohli shared his excitement for Euro 2016 with his fans on X by sharing a couple of photos of him wearing the German football jersey. He wrote in the caption:
"Excited for #Euro16 I'm all in with Die Mannschaft for the Euros! Which team are you supporting? #FirstNeverFollows"
India gear up for New Zealand challenge in semis
The Indian men's cricket team under Rohit Sharma has dominated the league stage, with them being the only side to have the tag of unbeaten next to their name. The Men in Blue topped the charts with nine wins in a row, accounting for 18 points.
However, the old scars remain fresh as India are set to take on New Zealand in a repeat of the 2019 World Cup semifinal. New Zealand knocked out India from the previous edition in the semis with a clinical 18-run victory.
India will take confidence from their four-wicket win against the Blackcaps in the league stage in Dharamsala. The two teams will lock horns once again in the first semi-final on Wednesday, November 15, at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.