German football has produced some of the world's football legends over the years. And it would be a challenge to choose who is the best of the best. In this article, we will list the best players in Bundesliga’s history that can form a Dream Team.
10 Best players in Bundesliga
#1: Goalkeeper: Sepp Maier
Talent-wise, the goalkeeper is the deepest position on this list. Germany’s history of producing world-class goalkeepers is quite simply unrivalled.
They have produced Oliver Kahn, Manuel Neuer and Harald Schumacher, all 3 of whom are among the 20 greatest custodians to have played the game.
However, none of them is Germany’s greatest!! That honour belongs to the incomparable Sepp Maier.
Nicknamed ‘The Cat Of Anzing’, Maier spent 18 seasons with Bayern Munich, winning three European Cups, four Bundesliga titles, 4 DFB-Pokals, a Cup Winners Cup and an Intercontinental Cup.
Yet he didn’t just win at domestic level: he also won a FIFA World Cup and the European Championships with West Germany.
A three-time German Player of the Year (for a Goalkeeper!!) and named the goalkeeper in Germany’s Team of Century, there can be no doubt that Maier deserves his spot.
#2: Right Back: Philipp Lahm
Another legend from Bayern, Philipp Lahm, was the most intelligent student of Pep Guardiola. He won eight Bundesliga titles and was the captain for five of them.
Lahm is one of the best players in Bundesliga as well as the greatest fullbacks of all time.
He was good at both attacking and defending. No one has ever doubted his talent.
A combo of tactical intelligence, leadership skills, constant movement, immaculate distribution of the ball, perfectly timed tackles, high work-rate, versatility, well, he is perfect.
#3: Left Back: Bixente Lizarazu
Although Lizarazu is a famous Bundesliga player, he is not a German. In fact, he was born in France and started to play for Bayern in 1997.
Lizarazu was an amazing flying left back in the German football league.
He won five Bundesliga titles, five German Cups, a Champions League. Not to mention, he won the World Cup with France.
Apart from his lightning pace, Lizarazu was a hard-working player who dedicated his life for football. There is no surprise that he is in the Dream Team of the Bundesliga.
#4: Central Defence: Franz Beckenbauer
Franz Beckenbauer, nicknamed Der Kaiser, is a legend of German football. Even if you are not a football fan, you must have heard about his name.
He is like Michael Jordan in basketball. Beckenbauer is a cool, calm and elegant player. He won two Ballon d’Or awards during the ’70s.
Today, he is still a proud symbol of German football, not only as a talented player but also an amazing coach. He won the World Cup in both roles.
Bayern Munich claimed their name thanks to Beckenbauer. With 439 appearances in 13 years, he helped the club rise from the German second tier to the king of Europe.
He was the captain when the club won three consecutive European Cups.
#5: Centre Back: Lucio
Another non-German in the list is Lucio, the best Bundesliga defender of the 00s.
The Brazilian enjoyed a trophy-laden 9-year spell in Germany, and also won the 2002 World Cup.
An uncompromising central defender, Lucio won a hat trick of domestic doubles in the Bundesliga.
His talent made him one of the best players in Bundesliga. He then surprisingly moved to Inter Milan where he won the treble in his first season.
#6: Midfield: Lothar Matthaus
Although Stefan Effenberg and Matthias Sammer are talented midfielders, they can’t beat Lothar Matthaus to be on this team.
When Matthaus played for Borussia Monchengladbach, he helped West Germany to win World Cup glory in 1990.
Also, he won seven Bundesliga titles in two spells at Bayern Munich. Matthaus and his thunderous shooting ability, as well as impeccable passing, are legendary.
#7: Midfield: Michael Ballack
There is no doubt that Michael Ballack was the most talented German player of his generation.
Ballack was named player of the year three times and Europe’s best midfielder once.
Ballack was known for excellent passing with a predator’s eye for goal. During his career, he won four league titles and a German Cup.
Also, he collected several trophies when he played for Chelsea. In the Bundesliga, he scored 117 goals in 456 games.
#8: Right Midfield: Arjen Robben
This was another tough category but in the end, the Dutchman won the spot on the right-wing.
His performances have made him an iconic figure in the most glittering era of Bayern.
During his career, he got six Bundesliga titles thanks to lightning speed and outstanding ball control.
Robben is also blessed with his left foot, along with his partner in crime (see below), terrorised and bullied Bundesliga defenders for years as he dribbled his way to glory.
Opposing fans hated his theatrics, but he always popped up when it mattered most for Bayern (just ask Dortmund fans).
His last gasp goal for Bayern to secure the 2013 Champions League will long live in the memory.
#9: Left Midfield: Franck Ribery
Ribery has been considered to be the greatest ever foreigner to play for Bayern.
Not only was he a prolific scorer of goals, but also adept provider who is capable of cutting inside or driving down the line with savage skill.
In his final season at Bayern, Ribery won the ninth Bundesliga title which is record-breaking.
He also got six DFB Cup triumphs and a Champions League. In 2019, he left Munich after 12 years, 273 appearances and 86 goals for Fiorentina.
#10: Striker: Robert Lewandowski
The best striker not named Gerd Muller to have played in the Bundesliga.
After moving to Borussia Dortmund at the age of 21, Lewandowski soon found his feet and by his second season under the tutelage of Jurgen Klopp, he had established himself as a goal scorer of note leading Dortmund to a domestic double, and in the third season helped Dortmund to the Champions League final.
His 4 goal demolition of Real Madrid in the semi-final is one of the greatest performances in Champions League history.
Soon after, Bayern Munich would come calling where Lewandowski quickly blossomed into one of, if not the best, out and out number nines in the world.
Since trading the yellow and black for red, Lewandowski has been plundering goals at a ridiculous rate, with an insane 157 goals from 186 matches.
At 31 years of age, he keeps getting better, and with 29 goals from 27 games, he is an outside chance to equal Gerd Muller’s single-season goal record, which is a spectacular achievement, whether he makes it or not.
A striking partnership of Muller and Lewandowski, the very thought is enough to send defenders everywhere directly to the asylum!!
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Who do you think is missing on the best players in Bundesliga list? Leave a comment!
This article was most recently revised and updated 3 years ago