Thomas Müller came agonizingly close to a fairytale debut in Major League Soccer — but the offside flag had other plans.

On Sunday, the legendary German forward made his first appearance for the Vancouver Whitecaps, coming off the bench to a thunderous reception at BC Place. Just minutes later, he found the back of the net with what looked like a perfect start to his North American chapter.

Then came the heartbreak: the assistant referee raised the flag for offside, and the goal was ruled out.

The Whitecaps were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against Houston Dynamo in front of a packed home crowd.

Hours before kickoff, hundreds of fans donning jerseys with Müller’s iconic No. 13 gathered at Terry Fox Plaza, turning downtown Vancouver into a mini Munich, as excitement buzzed for the arrival of the Bundesliga legend.

Thomas Müller officially signed with the Whitecaps on August 6, ending a 17-season spell with FC Bayern Munich, where he cemented his status as one of Germany’s all-time greats, winning multiple Bundesliga titles, DFB-Pokals, and two UEFA Champions League trophies.