Multiple European champions and World Cup winners, it goes without saying that the nation of Germany has churned out some top, top talent.
Deciding on who deserves to be ranked among the very best German players ever was no mean feat, but here at FourFourTwo, we reckon we've managed it (feel free to let us know if you disagree, of course...).
To kick off the countdown, just click on any of the arrows on the right-hand side!
32. Guido Buchwald
Capped 76 times, centre-back Guido Buchwald produced a memorable performance in the 1990 World Cup final, marking Diego Maradona out of the game as West Germany defeated Argentina in Rome.
Buchwald spent most of his club career at Stuttgart, winning two Bundesliga titles, but also had three-and-a-half years in Japan with the Urawa Reds.
31. Thomas Hassler
One of Germany’s best footballers of the 90s, Thomas Hassler was a world-class midfield playmaker who starred in his country’s 1990 World Cup and Euro 96 triumphs, racking up 101 caps overall.
At club level, Hassler made more than 100 appearances for Koln, Karlsruher SC, Roma and 1860 Munich – but he was unfortunate never to get his hands on any silverware, losing three major finals and twice finishing as a Bundesliga runner-up.
30. Jurgen Kohler
Up there with the finest defenders of his era, Jurgen Kohler won multiple major honours in club and international football.
A 1990 World Cup winner and Euro 96 champion, he enjoyed league success with Bayern Munich, Juventus and Borussia Dortmund – also lifting the UEFA Cup with Juve and the Champions League with Dortmund.
29. Matthias Sammer
Born in Dresden, Sammer represented East Germany on 23 occasions – then Germany 53 times following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1990, playing an absolutely integral role as sweeper in their victorious Euro 96 side.
A legend in the history of Borussia Dortmund, Sammer captained the Black and Yellows to their greatest triumph – 1996/97 Champions League glory – having already helped them to successive Bundesliga titles in the previous two seasons.
28. Oliver Bierhoff
Scorer of Germany’s winning, golden goal against the Czech Republic in the final of Euro 96, Oliver Bierhoff was one of the most feared strikers in Europe during the latter half of the 90s.
Blessed with pinpoint precision in the heading department, Bierhoff was a prolific target man who enjoyed 20-goal campaigns for Austria Salzburg, Ascoli, Udinese – where he finished as 1997/98 Serie A top scorer – and Milan – who he fired to the Scudetto in 1998/99.
27. Hans-Peter Briegel
An exceptional athlete, Hans-Peter Briegel was a terrific long- and triple-jumper before deciding to pursue football – and it turned out he was pretty good at that, too.
Adept at left-back, left wing-back or as a defensive midfielder, Briegel – who possessed an eye for goal at odds with his position – Briegel won Euro 1980 with West Germany, before helping them to the 1982 and 1986 World Cup finals.
Part of Hellas Verona’s famous 1984/85 Serie A title-winning team, the former Kaiserslautern man was voted 1985 German Footballer of the Year.
26. Lukas Podolski
Born in Poland, Lukas Podolski went on to amass a whopping 130 caps for Germany, scoring 49 goals and lifting the 2014 World Cup – not too shabby, really.
Described by Arsene Wenger, his boss at Arsenal, as one of the greatest finishers he’d ever seen, Podolski possessed a ferocious shot and was effective in an array of attacking roles.
A Bundesliga champion with Bayern Munich and an FA Cup winner with the Gunners, Podolski’s retirement has seen him open a kebab shop in Cologne – where he rose to prominence as a youngster – and appear as a judge on Das Supertalent, the German equivalent of Britain’s Got Talent.
25. Bernd Schuster
Midfielder Bernd Schuster spent the bulk of his career in Spain, where he became one of just two players ever to represent Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona.
Nicknamed ‘der Blonde Engel’ (‘the Blond Angel’), Schuster won the Copa del Rey with all three clubs – as well as the LaLiga title with Barca and Real, and the Cup Winners’ Cup with Real.
Runner-up for the 1980 Ballon d’Or after playing an integral part in West Germany’s Euro 1980 victory, the former Koln youngster only earned 21 caps, retiring from international football in 1984 amid rows with teammates and manager Jupp Derwall.
24. Joshua Kimmich
We were going to say that Joshua Kimmich is one of the top midfielders of the modern era – but the Bayern Munich star is so much more than that, showing elite versatility with his ability to perform equally well at right-back.
As important to the team going forward as he is defensively, Kimmich – who was named the German national team’s Player of the Year for the first time in 2017 – did the treble with Bayern during the 2019/20 season and had lifted nine major trophies by the age of 25.
23. Andreas Brehme
West Germany’s hero in the 1990 World Cup final, where his 85th-minute penalty saw off Argentina, the late Andres Brehme has to go down as one of the greatest full-backs in football history.
A world-class operator anywhere along the left flank and also more than capable in a defensive midfield capacity, the set-piece specialist scored almost 100 goals for club and country combined.
Third in the voting for the 1990 Ballon d’Or, Brehme won league titles with Kaiserslautern, Bayern Munich and Inter, and the UEFA Cup with the latter.
22. Jurgen Klinsmann
Not many German footballers gain great popularity in England – but Jurgen Klinsmann did, thanks to his thoroughly entertaining Premier League spells with Tottenham, where he scooped the 1994/95 FWA (Football Writers’ Association) Footballer of the Year award.
By then, the striker had already won the 1990 World Cup with West Germany and he 1990/91 UEFA Cup with Inter – and he would add another UEFA Cup and the Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich after leaving Spurs (for the first time) in the summer of 1995.
German Footballer of the Year in 1988 and 1994, Klinsmann scored 47 goals for his nation and captained them to Euro 96 success.
21. Miroslav Klose
The ultimate World Cup goalscorer with a record 16 goals across four editions of football’s grandest tournament, Miroslav Klose found the net at a rate of better than a goal every other game throughout his long international career – finishing with 71 in 137 caps.
A 2002 World Cup runner-up and finally a winner 12 years later, Polish-born Klose was an instinctive finisher with world-class aerial ability.
Voted 2006 German Footballer of the Year and 2005/06 Bundesliga Player of the Season – after finishing as top scorer – ‘Salto’ (‘Somersault’, such was his trademark celebration) did two doubles with Bayern Munich and lifted the Coppa Italia with Lazio.
20. Rudi Voller
Unmissable on the pitch with his mullet and moustache combo, Rudi Voller is one of Germany’s all-time leading scorers, notching 47 goals in 90 caps between 1982 and 1994.
A 1990 World Cup winner, the 1983 German Footballer of the Year enjoyed all of his club success abroad, lifting the 1990/91 Coppa Italia with Roma and the 1992/93 Champions League with Marseille.
Voller later coached the national team to the 2002 World Cup final.
19. Jupp Heynckes
Long before he coached Real Madrid and Bayern Munich to Champions League glory (the latter as part of a treble), Jupp Heynckes was a world-class forward for Borussia Monchengladbach and the West Germany national team.
A European and world champion at international level in 1972 and 1974 respectively, Heynckes’ tally of 220 Bundesliga goals ranks among the highest in the history of the competition.
He starred in five title-winning sides at Gladbach during the 70s, as well as winning the DFB-Pokal (German Cup) and UEFA Cup – and reaching the 1977 European Cup final.
18. Bastian Schweinsteiger
A true all-time midfield great, Bastian Schweinsteiger achieved superstar status for Bayern Munich and Germany alike, with the Champions League (which he won as part of a treble in 2012/13) and World Cup topping his long list of major honours.
Sensational in nullifying Lionel Messi in the 2014 World Cup final, Schweinsteiger racked up 121 caps for his country between 2004 and 2016.
The 2013 German Footballer of the Year rounded off his career with stints at Manchester United – where he lifted the FA Cup – and the Chicago Fire.
17. Paul Breitner
Imperious whether deployed in midfield or at left-back, Paul Breitner was among the finest players in world football during the 70s and early 80s, making the team of the tournament as West Germany triumphed at Euro 1972 and the 1974 World Cup.
Runner-up to compatriot Karl-Heinz Rummenigge for the 1981 Ballon d’Or, Breitner equalised from the penalty spot in the 1974 World Cup final against the Netherlands – before netting once more in defeat to Italy eight years later, making him one of a handful of players to score in two World Cup finals.
A 1973/74 European Cup winner with Bayern Munich, he also claimed major silverware at Real Madrid.
16. Mesut Ozil
Another member of Germany’s 2014 World Cup-winning team, Mesut Ozil sat among the very best attacking midfielders in the world at his peak.
Capped 92 times, the highly versatile Ozil – who provided the most assists at both the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 – won major trophies with Arsenal, Real Madrid and Werder Bremen, and was named German Player of the Year an incredible five times.
15. Oliver Kahn
Skipper of the Germany team who came so close to World Cup glory in 2002 – succumbing to a brilliant Brazil side in the final – Oliver Kahn is rightly regarded as one of the best goalkeepers of all time.
Nicknamed ‘Vol-Kahn-o- for his aggressive command of his box, Kahn won the Golden Ball as that tournament’s best player and remains the only ‘keeper to scoop the accolade.
A veteran of 632 appearances for Bayern Munich, the iconic custodian won eight Bundesliga titles, six DFB-Pokal crowns, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup with Bavaria’s finest.
14. Sepp Maier
Another legend of the goalkeeper position, Sepp Maier provided an elite last line of defence for Bayern Munich – his only club – and West Germany throughout the 70s.
Number one for the Bayern team who famously won three straight European Cups between 1974 and 1976, and for his nation’s victorious Euro 1972 and 1974 World Cup sides, the extraordinarily agile three-time German Footballer of the Year – who earned 95 international caps – was aptly dubbed ‘Die Katze’ (‘the Cat’).
13. Michael Ballack
If you hadn’t already realised, Germany has produced a whole load of top midfielders – and here’s another one: Michael Ballack, the epitome of elite midfield versatility during the first decade of the 21st century.
A complete player blessed with remarkable stamina, passing range and goalscoring ability, Ballack was one of the standout performers as Bayer Leverkusen reached the 2002 Champions League final.
The 2002, 2003 and 2005 German Footballer of the Year – who bagged 42 goals in 98 international caps – went on to star prominently for Bayern Munich and Chelsea, winning the title and main domestic cup competition with both.
12. Thomas Muller
Thomas Muller is truly one of a kind. The self-labelled Raumdeuter (which roughly translates from German as space interpreter) will go down as one of the finest players of the 21st century, having excelled year after year for Bayern Munich and Germany.
A unique attacking midfielder with a superb eye for goal – he won the Golden Boot at the 2010 World Cup then the Silver Boot en route to victory four years later – Mulller in his prime was an utter menace to defend against.
Twice a treble winner with Bayern – where he started out in the late 00s and never looked back – Radio Muller (so nicknamed for his chatterbox nature on the pitch) is an indisputable legend of the game.
11. Max Morlock
The man who kickstarted the ‘Miracle of Bern’ by scoring West Germany’s first goal as they fought back from 2-0 down to beat Hungary 3-2 and win their maiden World Cup, inside right Max Morlock scored for fun at club and international level, finding the net more than 300 times in all.
Nurnberg’s greatest ever player, he spent his whole career with his hometown club, winning two top-flight titles and the DFB-Pokal.
A tremendously tenacious attacking presence, Morlock was named 1961 German Footballer of the Year.
10. Manuel Neuer
Germany’s best ever goalkeeper – and one of the best from anywhere, for that matter – Manuel Neuer did more than anyone to bring the role of sweeper-keeper into the mainstream, redefining what it meant to pull on the gloves through his sheer brilliance for Bayern Munich and his country.
Impeccably composed and more than capable with his feet, Neuer starred in Bayern’s historic streak of 11 consecutive Bundesliga titles from 2013 to 2023 – during which time the former Schalke custodian won two trebles.
9. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
Ballon d’Or winner in 1980 and 1981, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge established himself as one of the standout attacking players of his era, excelling all the way across the forward line.
Capped 95 times by West Germany, scoring 45 goals and winning Euro 1980, Rummenigge is also regarded as one of the greatest players in Bayern Munich’s history, having found the net 217 times for the club – where he won back-to-back European Cups as a youngster – and helped them to two Bundesliga titles.
He finished his career with stints in Italy and Switzerland with Inter and Servette respectively.
8. Philipp Lahm
Philipp Lahm aka ‘Magic Dwarf’ (he stood at only five-foot-seven) is unquestionably one of the finest full-backs ever to grace the pitch, performing with distinction on either side for Bayern Munich and Germany.
Captain of his country’s 2014 World Cup-winning team, he also led Bayern to a whole host of major honours – the pinnacle being the treble in 2012/13.
German Footballer of the Year in 2017, Lahm was described by Pep Guardiola as “the most intelligent player” he ever coached. High praise indeed.
7. Fritz Walter
Fritz Walter’s impact on German football was so profound that he was named honorary captain of the West Germany national team upon his international retirement in 1958.
Skipper and spearhead of his country’s 1954 World Cup winners, the legendary inside left played the vast majority of his club football for Kaiserslautern – where he won two league titles and had the stadium named in his honour in 1985.
Walter notched 33 goals in 66 international outings (for Germany and West Germany), either side of being held in a Prisoner of War camp during the Second World War.
6. Uwe Seeler
Nothing short of prolific, Uwe Seeler smashed in 535 goals in 549 appearances for club and country, winning the title with Hamburg in 1959/60 and helping West Germany to the final of the 1966 World Cup.
Named German Footballer of the Year on three occasions, Seeler – who was hugely respected for his fair play and modest character – made Pele’s ‘FIFA 100’ list of the greatest living footballers in 2004 (FIFA’s 100th anniversary).
5. Lothar Matthaus
Truly one of most enduring footballers of all time, Lothar Matthaus made his professional debut in 1978 and didn’t hang up his boots until 2000.
A complete, world-class midfielder, Matthaus starred in a string of top sides at club and international level, winning multiple league titles and the UEFA Cup with both Bayern Munich and Inter – and Euro 1980, where he made his international debut, and the 1990 World Cup with West Germany, wearing the captain’s armband at the latter tournament and collecting that year’s Ballon d’Or.
Summing up his brilliance, former Bayern boss Giovanni Trapattoni said: “I admire Platini; I admire Maradona; but to win, I need Matthaus.”
4. Gunter Netzer
Voted German Footballer of the Year un 1972 and 1973, Gunter Netzer is widely considered to be one of the finest passers in football history.
A playmaker of supreme technical ability, he starred in West Germany’s Euro 1972 and 1974 World Cup triumphs – the latter while playing his club football for Real Madrid, thus becoming the first World Cup winner based outside their home country.
Twice a champion of Spain with Real and a two-time Bundesliga champion with Borussia Monchengladbach, Netzer was runner-up to international teammate Franz Beckenbauer in the voting for the 1972 Ballo d’Or.
3. Toni Kroos
The most decorated German player of all time, with more than 30 trophies to his name, Toni Kroos establishes himself as one of the best midfielders on the planet during the 2010s, showing off his elite abilities for Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Germany.
A dead-ball wizard with absolutely astonishing passing range and vision, Kroos won five Champions League crowns with Real to add to his one at Bayern – in addition to the small matter of lifting the 2014 World Cup.
His displays at that tournament were described as “nearly perfect” by Johan Cruyff – who knew a thing or two about the game.
2. Gerd Muller
Among the most-feared strikers ever to take to the pitch, Gerd Muller wasn’t nicknamed ‘Der Bomber’ for nothing.
The 1970 Ballon d’Or winner led the line in devastating fashion as West Germany won Euro 1972 and the 1974 World Cup, scoring in the final of both tournaments – contributing to his final international goals tally of 68 in 62 caps.
It was a similar story at club level, where he amassed a record 565 goals for Bayern Munich – in 607 games – winning four Bundesliga titles and three straight European Cups (netting in the 1974 and 1975 finals), among other honours.
1. Franz Beckenbauer
And coming at number one, we have the man they called ‘Der Kaiser’, the well and truly inimitable Franz Beckenbauer – the blueprint for sweepers everywhere and unquestionably one of the game’s very, very best.
Belonging to a select group of people to have lifted the World Cup as both a player and manager, the late Beckenbauer captained West Germany to glory in 1974 (having done likewise at the Euros two years earlier) then repeated the feat from the dugout in 1990.
Ballon d’Or winner in 1972 and 1976, he also wore the armband throughout Bayern Munich’s European Cup ‘threepeat’ in the mid-70s – and was a Bundesliga champion with both Bayern and Hamburg.
