Time Sports Desk: Bayern Munich and Germany forward Thomas Muller has shot down rumours of a pending international retirement, saying on Monday he will ‘always be available’ for selection. ‘As long as I am a professional footballer, I will always be available for the national team if I am needed,’ Muller said. ‘When, whether and how, is of course up to the national team manager.’ Muller, 33, declared after Germany’s disappointing group stage exit in Qatar he would take some time to consider his future.

Immediately after Germany were eliminated before the World Cup knockout stage for the second successive time, Muller told sideline cameras ‘everything I have done, you can be sure I did it with love’, giving rise to predictions he would announce his international retirement. Speaking from Bayern’s winter training camp in Qatar, Muller said he was ‘emotional after the game’ and had ‘thought about and discussed (retirement) with (Germany coach) Hansi Flick’.