24/05/2021

Top 10 Best German Players Of All Time – Latest Update

Want to know the greatest German players of all time? Those on this list are great stars that have left their mark on the history of world football.

With a highly acclaimed history in international football, Germany has produced some of the greatest footballers over the years and they are well-revered all over the world.

With a tremendous depth of talent, in this ranking we have highlighted the 10 best German players of all time, while honorable mentions include Lukas Podolski and Philipp Lahm in modern football, behind them were also seen players like Jürgen Kohler, all very loved by Germans.

Without further ado, let us go straight to the topic of the day, below we have listed to best german players ever and with details on each.

10 Best German Players Of All Time

#10. Jürgen Klinsmann

Playing in 6 major tournaments between Euro 1988 and France 1998, Jurgen scored at least one goal during each tournament, scoring 3 or more goals in 4 of them, making him one of the most efficient strikers in recent history.

Playing for Germany between 1990 and 1998, Klinsmann scored 40 goals in 82 games, consolidating him in the history of German football, while he also came in third in the Best FIFA World Player in 1995. He was a United States coach during the World Cup 2014 in Brazil.

#9. Matthias Sammer

Born in East Germany, Matthias made his debut for unified Germany in 1990, after the West German team had beaten Italy ’90. A member of the 1992 Euro Cup squad, Sammer’s Germany won the runner-up, losing to Denmark, playing as a defensive midfielder.

At the club level, Sammer won 3 Bundesliga titles, one in Stuttgart and 2 in Borussia Dortmund, while he also won 2 German Super Cups and a Champions League with Dortmund, consolidating himself in the club’s history and as one of the best German players of all time.

#8. Bastian Schweinsteiger

Bastian crafted his name in the history of German football after his heroic performance in the 2014 World Cup final against Argentina, which saw Germany win its first title since Italy’90. Originally a broad player by trade, his best football came as a central midfielder. Coming from the base category of Bayern Munich, he played 2 years for the youth team. In the main team, he played for 13 years, while he was considered as one of the best midfielders in the world during his enchantment there.

#7. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge

Succeeding the likes of Fritz Walter and Uwe Seeler, Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz had a lot of pressure on his shoulders. Although he only ranks sixth among Germany’s most prolific goal scorers, he is certainly one of the most prolific.

With an eye for the goal, Rummenigge scored 9 goals during 3 World Cup appearances, including 3 successes in 1982. After his 10-year spell with Bayern, Rummenigge also displayed his talent at Inter Milan and Servette, where his explorations of scoring goals continued.

#6. Fritz Walter

Regarded as one of Germany’s best players, Fritz is now named for an award given to the best German player, previous winners included those from Mario Gotze and Toni Kroos. Leading the West German team in 1954, his leadership led the Germans to the 1954 World Cup final, where they beat Hungary 3-2 with a goal 6 minutes from Helmut Rahn’s time.

#5. Lothar Matthäus

With 150 squads for Germany, Lothar is the current squad record holder who saw himself win the 1980 Euro and 1990 World Cup, he also became runner-up in the 82 and 86 World Cup. A dynamic midfielder by trade. He is considered one of the greatest players that the World Cups have ever seen.

#4. Miroslav Klose

Surpassing Gerd Muller as Germany’s record-breaking goalscorer, Miroslav Klose also broke Ronaldo’s record in 2014, scoring 16 goals in World Cup football, surpassing the Brazilian’s count of 15. An eye for the goal in the penalty area. Klose has 71 goals in 137 appearances for Germany, placing him 3rd ahead of Muller and 22 ahead of the recently retired Lukas Podolski.

Although he only has the 2014 World Cup at an international level, Klose won 2 league titles with Bayern Munich as well as the German Cup, while he also helped Lazio win the Coppa Italia title in 2013, leading the line against AS Roma’s fierce rivals.

#3. Franz Beckenbauer

Finishing second and third at the World Cups in 1966 and 1970, Beckenbauer finally got his hands on the trophy on the third try in 1974. “The Kaiser” then won the World Cup for the second time in Italia ’90. Like most Germans, he played most of his career at a club, Bayern Munich, winning Bundelisga on 4 occasions, as well as European Cup on 3. He is considered one of the best players of all time.

#2. Sepp Maier

Germany famously produced world-class goalkeepers with significant achievements. Recently people saw Oliver Kahn, Jens Lehmann and Manuel Neuer close to number 1, but on an international level, none marked history as Sepp Maier.

Winning the German Player of the Year 3 times, Maier played his entire club career in Bayern Munich, making just under 600 appearances in all competitions during a career spanning 18 years. For the national team, he was called up in 95 games (13 years). In fact, he is worthy to be among the best goalkeepers the world has ever seen.

#1. Gerd Müller

Germany’s exceptional scorer, there is not much that Muller has not achieved. Müller had over 68 goals in 62 international games. His 566 goals for Bayern Munich make him his highest-scoring player, and also displays the best goal ratio for a UEFA Champions League game.

He is proud to be among the players who scored the most goals in the world. His scoring explorations saw him lift the same honors at the international level as Sepp Maier, while his goals for Bayern Munich saw him establish 4 Bundesliga titles and 3 Champions League.