Thomas Müller’s birthday hat trick helps Vancouver Whitecaps clinch MLS playoff spot in record win over Union

British ColumbiaThomas Müller scored a hat trick on his 36th birthday, and Rayan Elloumi became the youngest player in Vancouver history to score a regular-season goal as the Whitecaps beat the Philadelphia Union 7-0 on Saturday night to clinch a playoff spot.Sabbi, Laborda and 17-year-old Rayan Elloumi also on scoresheet as Caps dismantle league leadersThe Associated Press · Posted: Sep 17, 2025 7:09 PM EDT | Last Updated: September 17Birthday boy Thomas Muller heads his third goal past Philadelphia Union goalkeeper Andrew Rick during the game in Vancouver on Saturday. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press)Thomas Müller scored a hat trick on his 36th birthday, and Rayan Elloumi became the youngest player in Vancouver history to score a regular-season goal at 17 years, 193 days, as the Whitecaps beat the Philadelphia Union 7-0 on Saturday night to clinch a playoff spot.Vancouver (15-6-7) became the seventh team in MLS history to win a regular-season game by seven goals. The seven goals were also a club record.Philadelphia (17-7-6) came into the game sitting atop the league standings.The Whitecaps scored four first-half goals for the first time in their MLS history.WATCH | Thomas Müller is now a Whitecap: German superstar Thomas Müller joins Vancouver WhitecapsVancouver Whitecaps FC have officially signed German soccer star Thomas Müller, a World Cup winner and longtime Bayern Munich standout known for his incredible career milestones.Müller, playing in his third MLS game, converted a pair of first-half penalty kicks and scored on a header late in the second half. He added his first MLS assist midway through the second half on a pass to Emmanuel Sabbi at the top of the penalty area.Sabbi scored twice for the Whitecaps, who secured a postseason berth for the third year in a row. Mathias Laborda also scored.Yohei Takaoka stopped two shots to record his MLS-leading 12th clean sheet of the season.Vancouver played without star striker Brian White, who is recovering from a hamstring injury.Müller signed with the Whitecaps last month following 17 storied seasons with Bayern Munich.