Bayern Munich’s top 15 German internationals of all time
Numbers 15 to 11
15. Uli Hoeness
Uli Hoeness is the first player on this list and the first player from Bayern Munich’s strong German contingent that led its nation to much success in the early 1970s. Like many others on this list, he won the 1972 Euros and 1974 World Cup with West Germany.
Hoeness was an excellent forward, though not as prolific as many of his contemporaries. He was forced into an early retirement thanks to an unfortunate knee injury at 27-years-old, but immediately became a part of the Bayern backroom.
Since then, his success off the pitch has far surpassed anything he achieved on it, but Uli was nevertheless a great player for both club and country.
14. Hans-Georg Schwazenbeck
Another star from Bayern’s “golden generation,” Hans-Georg Schwazenbeck is a player widely regarded as one of the most underrated of his time. Regularly partnered with legend Franz Beckenbauer throughout his career, history has left Schwazenbeck in the shadow of his teammate.
However, the argument could easily be made that Beckenbauer’s brilliance as a sweeper would not have been possible without the gritty, hard-nosed defensive work of Schwazenbeck. He never backed down from a tough tackle and was quick to clear any loose ball that came his way.
He made 416 Bundesliga appearances — all for Bayern Munich — and made 44 appearances for West Germany, helping his nation achieve victory in the 1972 UEFA European championship and the FIFA World Cup two years later.
13. Jerome Boateng
The first player on this list still playing professionally, Jerome Boateng has been a mainstay of Joachim Low’s Germany since his debut prior to the 2010 World Cup.
The Berlin-born defender is a crucial player in die Mannschaft‘s current set-up. He was instrumental in Germany’s success at the 2014 World Cup, particularly in the final match. Boateng was a rock at the back for Germany, making several important defensive moves to help lead his nation to their first World Cup in 24 years.
He was also named in UEFA’s team of the tournament for his fine displays in Euro 2016. He might be a bit inconsistent at times with Bayern Munich, but Jerome Boateng has been outstanding for Germany since his debut.
12. Michael Ballack
Michael Ballack has the misfortune of being the only player on this list who never won a major tournament with his national team. He was also surrounded by one of the weakest national team squads in Germany’s history for much of his career.
Nevertheless, Ballack served as a beacon of hope in otherwise dark times for die Nationalmannschaft. He was the star for Germany during the early 2000s. Despite never winning a trophy, his exploits were awarded with places in the team of the tournament at the 2002 World Cup, 2004 Euros, 2006 World Cup and 2008 Euros.
Ballack ended his international career just shy of 100 caps (98) and in a rather disappointing manner. He missed the 2010 World Cup due to injury, and never gained back his captaincy from Philipp Lahm. He was more or less forced out of the national team, which is a real shame considering how admirably he served his country during his time with the national team.
11. Manuel Neuer
The “sweeper-keeper,” a role not necessarily invented by — but certainly defined by — Germany’s current number one and captain, Manuel Neuer is the first of three goalkeepers on this list. Germany has a strong heritage of producing the best shot-stoppers in the world, and Neuer is certainly no exception.
His impressive footwork and tendency to come storming out of his box may be what first comes to mind for many when thinking on Neuer, but his pure goalkeeping ability is equally second to none. His reflexes are quick, his saves strong. He exudes confidence, ever appearing calm and collected between the sticks.
Neuer was a massive player for Germany at the 2014 World Cup, helping lead his nation to victory with some excellent displays that earned him the Golden Glove and a spot on the team of the tournament. Currently the captain of Joachim Low’s Germany, Neuer will be a huge asset for his national side this summer now that he’s returned from a lengthy injury spell.