Munich has been home to some of the greatest ever German internationals, but which Bayern Munich star has been his nation’s best?
The World Cup starts in just a few days, and — as usual — Bayern Munich will once again be well represented at the tournament. The German national team, in particular, will be comprised of several Bayern stars.
Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng and Co. are fantastic players for their national squad, but where do they rank among the greatest ever German internationals?
Here’s a not-so-definitive ranking of the top 15 German internationals from Bayern Munich.
*Note: This list incorporates players from both West Germany and unified Germany, and is based upon the players’ performance for country, not club.
Honorable mentions
Limiting this list to merely 15 people was no easy task. Bayern have had some extraordinary German talent throughout the years. To help narrow it down a bit and create a more fair criteria, any player on this list has to have played more games for Bayern Munich than any other club.
Because of this, a few big names missed the cut. Most notably, legendary strikers Jurgen Klinsmann and Miroslav Klose don’t make the list. Two of the greatest German strikers to play for the Nationalelf, both found better fortunes away from Bavaria than they did playing with die Roten.
Defenders Jurgen Kohler and Andreas Brehme are also excluded from this top 15, spending the majority of their careers at other German clubs. Any potential of Mats Hummels making the cut is also thrown out the window. Lastly, an honorable mention should be given to Lukas Podolski. I’m not entirely sure Poldi would have made his way onto the list anyway, but he deserves a mention nonetheless.
As for players who did spend the majority of their career in Bavaria but still fall short of this top 15, look no further than Mehmet Scholl and Stefan Effenberg. Both are great players, but not quite good enough to displace any of the other names on this list. The former misses out due to the many unfortunate injuries that plagued him throughout his career. The latter dodged his place on the list thanks to his antics that prevented him from playing on the national team for much of his career.
Finally, a special mention should go to Bayern Munich legend Klaus Augenthaler, who won the World Cup with West Germany in 1990. His performances for club overshadow those for country, but he was an excellent Bayern representative with die Nationalmannschaft for several years.
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.
Numbers 10 to 6
10. Paul Breitner
If it wasn’t for a certain Bayern Munich legend later down this list, Paul Breitner would be remembered as the greatest German full-back to ever play the game. Part defender, part midfielder, Breitner was an important part of the legendary Bayern Munich and West Germany sides that dominated Europe in the early 1970s.
After helping his nation win the 1972 European championship and earning a spot in the team of the tournament while doing so, he repeated the feat in the 1974 World Cup, this time scoring the opening goal in the final against a Johan Cruyff-led Netherlands. Breitner once again scored in a World Cup final eight years later, netting his nation’s only goal in a 3-1 loss to Italy. This makes him one of only four players to have scored in two World Cup finals, the others being legends Pele, Vava and Zinedine Zidane.
Breitner’s off-field activities made him a divisive figure among fans, but his talent on the pitch was undeniable. That he’s ranked so low on this list simply serves as testament to the impressive corps of German internationals to have played for Bayern Munich.
9. Thomas Muller
Winner of the Golden Boot and Best Young Player award in his first ever major tournament with Germany — the 2010 World Cup in South Africa — and both the Silver Boot and Silver Ball four years later in his nation’s total victory in Brazil, Thomas Muller has already established himself as one of the World Cup greats, and he’s still just 28-years-old!
Though he’s been excellent for Bayern Munich throughout his career, Muller has always truly shone with the German national team. Not a natural winger by any means, he nevertheless plays a key part in his nation’s success as a right-sided attacking midfielder in Joachim Low’s system.
The raumdeuter (Muller’s self-given nickname that literally means “interpreter of space”) has played an impressive 90 matches for the Nationalelf. He’s scored 38 goals in the process, putting himself at Germany’s ninth best goalscorer of all time. It’d be no surprise for him to earn a spot in the top five — even the top three — by the end of his career.
With five goals in both of his World Cup appearances, Muller is already only six off Miroslav Klose’s all-time record of 16 with half as many tournaments under his belt. It would be no surprise for the Bavarian to make the record his own either this summer in Russia or in Qatar in 2022.
8. Oliver Kahn
Der Titan. A player remembered for his fierce confidence and expressive nature between the sticks, Oli Kahn is undoubtedly a Bayern Munich legend. His pure goalkeeping skills were absolutely sublime, but it’s his composure, leadership and immense presence on the pitch that set him apart.
The only major trophy Kahn ever won with his national side was the 1996 European Champonship, though he didn’t even feature for Germany in the tournament. His real highlight on the international stage came six years later. His exceptional displays in goal for Germany at the 2002 World Cup not only led his country to the final, but also earned him the Golden Ball for the entire tournament, making him the only goalkeeper to achieve such a feat.
He allowed three shots to pass him throughout the entire tournament; two of those came in the final. Even though he played the match with a torn ligament in his right ring finger, Kahn refused to use the injury as an excuse for his mistake that led to Brazil’s opening goal: just one example of the outstanding leadership and character Kahn exemplified throughout his career.
7. Sepp Maier
The original great Bayern Munich and Germany goalkeeper is none other than the “Cat from Anzing,” Sepp Maier. A Munich boy through and through, Maier spent his entire career playing for die Roten. It wasn’t easy making the decision between him and Kahn, but Maier gets the nod on basis of having a more successful career on the international stage.
Maier holds a reputation for being a joker both on and off the pitch — he once chased a duck around the pitch while a match was still being played — and for being the first player to don the now-commonplace oversized goalkeeper gloves.
His most astonishing record is the 442 consecutive Bundesliga matches he played with Bayern Munich between 1966-1979. His exploits with the Nationalelf were not to be overshadowed, though. Maier played an impressive 95 matches for West Germany, starring alongside legends like Franz Beckenbauer, Paul Breitner and Gerd Muller. With that iconic team, Sepp Maier won a World Cup (and finished runner-up) and European Championship.
6. Bastian Schweinsteiger
Few players approach the game with the same passion and intensity Bastian Schweinsteiger did every time he donned a Bayern Munich or Germany trikot. In a generation of world-class midfielders (such as Andres Iniesta, Xabi Alonso, Andrea Pirlo, etc.), Basti stood out for club and country as a fiery leader in the center of the park.
Schweinsteiger burst onto the international scene in the 2006 World Cup. At only 22-years-old, the Bayern youth product played a big role for his nation in their push for a third-placed finish in the tournament. By far his most impressive and memorable performance on the international stage, though, came in the 2014 World Cup final.
Schweini gave it all against Argentina, leaving blood, sweat and tears (literally) on the pitch and ultimately driving his team to a hard-earned victory. The image of a battered Bastian Schweinsteiger crying in jubilation after the final whistle blew is one I will never forget.
The Fussballgot retired from international play shortly after Euro 2016, ending his career as Germany’s fourth most-capped player ever with 121 international matches under his belt. Bastian Schweinsteiger is a true legend of the modern game.
Numbers 5 to 3
5. Philipp Lahm
Former Bayern Munich captain Philipp Lahm is not only the best German full-back of all-time, but also one of the great full-backs to ever play the game. Pep Guardiola, who has managed a fair few talented players, praised Lahm’s intelligence and labeled him one of the “best players ever.”
Though Lahm excelled throughout his career as both a left-back and defensive midfielder, he’ll be best remembered for the way he played his right-back role to near-perfection. Mr. Consistency, Lahm was rarely a standout player in a match, but he almost never under-performed. His understated approach may not have been the flashiest, but it certainly got the job done.
Lahm was a solid player in each of three World Cups he featured in, finally leading the Nationalelf to total victory in 2014, following an historic 7-1 slaughtering of hosts Brazil in the semi-final. His 115 caps put him fifth on Germany’s all-time appearance list and cement him as one of the best players in his nation’s history.
4. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is not only one of the greatest modern chairmen, but also one of the best forwards to feature for his national side. He is widely remembered as one of the most complete and versatile attackers in his nation’s history. Equally comfortable playing as a lone center-forward or in tandem with another striker, Rummenigge was the focal point of the attack for any team he played on.
Twice a World Cup runner-up with West Germany, Kalle led the German line with aplomb between 1976 and 1986. He never became a world champion with die Mannschaft, but won the 1980 Euros with his national side. Rummenigge also amassed quite the collection of personal accolades, including back-to-back Ballon d’Ors in 1980 and 1981.
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge’s work off the pitch since his retirement has been almost equally impressive. He just recently resigned from his post as chairman of the European Club Association, but has been a powerhouse and visionary for Bayern Munich since joining the club as Vice President in 1991. He has played a massive role in ushering in a new era of success at the club throughout the past two decades.
3. Lothar Matthaus
Germany’s most-capped player, dynamic midfielder Lothar Matthaus was the poster boy of his nation for much of the ’80s and ’90s. A serial winner and one of the most successful players in history, Matthaus featured in nine major tournaments with his national side, winning a European championship in 1980 and a World Cup just a decade later.
Speaking of World Cups, Matthaus holds the record for playing the most matches in the world’s biggest competition (25) and is one of only two players to have played across five different World Cups. But his World Cup victory in 1990 — the same year he won the Ballon d’Or — with West Germany is undoubtedly the highlight of his illustrious career.
On the pitch, Lothar was a sensational all-rounder. A natural-born leader who typified the stereotypical German efficiency, Matthaus’ play may not have always been the prettiest, but it definitely got the job done. His vision and passing range were supreme, his man-marking and work-rate second to none. He excelled in either a deep playmaking or box-to-box role, but enjoyed much success as a more attack-minded midfielder and as a sweeper as well.
Off the pitch, however, is a much different story. Lothar has become a divisive figure who can’t seem to keep his name out of the headlines — nor does he make any attempt to. Big mouth and ego aside, there’s no denying the immense talents Matthaus possessed as a midfielder and sweeper for Germany and Bayern Munich.
Numbers 2 & 1
2. Gerd Muller
Gerd Muller is — simply put — the greatest German striker of all time. Much like Bayern’s contemporary Muller, Der Bomber was not particularly skilled technically, nor was he physically imposing. Yet he still managed to become one of the best forwards to step foot on a pitch, scoring a remarkable 68 goals for West Germany in only 62 appearances across eight years.
His fantastic attacking instinct and uncanny knack to be in the right place at the right time meant he “mullered” opposition with goal after goal all throughout his career. He scored a sensational 10 goals in the 1970 World Cup, where his nation finished third. Although he “only” scored four goals in the 1974 tournament, it was enough to help lead his country to total glory. Slotted right between those two tournaments was the 1972 European championship, where Muller stood out yet again as the top scorer and contributed heavily to West Germany bringing home the trophy.
Although Miroslav Klose has since surpassed Muller as Germany’s all-time top goalscorer, the former has played over twice as many games as his predecessor and only bettered his record by three goals. That should put Gerd Muller’s phenomenal talent in perspective.
There’s absolutely no doubt he is one of the all-time greats, but he just misses out on the number one spot. No, that place belongs to one man, and one man only.
1. Franz Beckenbauer
Germany has been home to some of the greatest players to ever grace a pitch, but they all pale in comparison to Der Kaiser himself, Franz Beckenbauer. Like many others on this list, Beckenbauer was a highly versatile player, adept at playing various positions across the pitch. But he truly shone in one position in particular: sweeper. Not a position often used in modern tactical set-ups, the term sweeper is almost synonymous with the legendary Bayern Munich defender.
Beckenbauer wasn’t the hard-nosed, aggressive defender who struck fear into the heart of his opponents. He was the elegant, tactically astute distributor who picked apart opponents and led his team with magnificence from the back. He took over as skipper of West Germany in 1971 and subsequently drove his team to back-to-back victories at the 1972 European Championship and 1974 World Cup.
His calm and reassuring presence at the back, combined with his cool gravitas and cerebral approach to the game, made him the key player and clear leader on the Bayern Munich and West Germany teams that dominated the world during the 1970s.
There will never be another player quite like the Kaiser. Not only is Franz Beckenbauer undoubtedly the best Bayern Munich and Germany player of all time, he’s simply one of the best players to ever grace a pitch.
Next: What should Bayern Munich do with Robert Lewandowski?
There you have it, my top 15 Bayern Munich German internationals. Agree with the list? Disagree? Perhaps you feel some players deserve a higher or lower spot on the list? Let me know in the comments!