Who are the best Bayern Munich players in history? This is Germany’s greatest ever football club and one of the powerhouses in both Europe and the world.
Home to some of the greatest players of all time, we take a look at the ten top best players to ever feature for the Bavarian club:
10. Arjen Robben
Known as “The Man of Glass”, when Arjen Robben wasn’t injured he was terrorising opposition with his lightning pace, tight ball control and slick dribbling skills. His biggest contribution was no doubt his 2013 Champions League Final winning goal.
Robben is best remembered for his cut backs from the right wing onto his left foot, and curling it into the top corner. He’d finish his career with 143 goals from 309 appearances across his 10-year spell.
9. Bastian Schweinsteiger
Bastian Schweinsteiger is no doubt one of the best Bayern Munich players of all-time. He came through the youth academy before spending 17 seasons at the club at senior level and featuring in 500 matches across all competitions.
Known for controlling the midfield with his strength, skillfulness, passing ability and ferocious long shots, he had a decorated time in Bavaria with eight league titles, a Champions League title and seven DFB-Pokal wins.
8. Philipp Lahm
Aside from a loan spell at VfB Stuttgart, Phillip Lahm played his entire career at Bayern Munich. In total he featured in 581 games for the club and played a starring role in eight Bundesliga titles and the 2013 Champions League win.
Towards the latter part of his career, Lahm would be rewarded with the team captaincy and was renowned for his leadership ability. He also played the game with true sportsmanship and was never red carded during his career.
7. Sepp Maier
Superstar goalkeeper Sepp Maier played a leading role for Bayern Munich throughout his 18-year career during the 1960s and 70s. Able to dominate from the back, he played 473 Bundesliga games for the club and was able to keep 137 clean sheets.
Of the 473 games for the club, 442 were consecutive, a Bundesliga record. Maier was an exceptional shot-stopper with lightning quick reflexes, agility, and speed.
6. Lothar Matthaus
A midfield maestro, Lothar Matthaus dominated the game as a box-to-box midfielder with intelligence well above everyone else. Deployed as a deep-lying playmaker and sometimes as a sweeper, his technical ability was glaringly obvious whenever he played.
In his 12 seasons at Bayern Munich across two spells, he played in 464 games, scored 121 goals and won the Bundesliga seven times. Although a Champions League runner up twice, he won the Ballon d’or while at Inter Milan in 1990.
5. Oliver Kahn
Oliver Kahn was from another planet. In 557 Bundesliga games (429 of those at Bayern Munich), “Der Titan” retired with a then-record 204 clean sheets and is one of the best Bayern Munich players of all time.
Known for his almost instantaneous reflexes, superb technique and remarkable agility, he’s best remembered for his commanding presence and uber aggressiveness which bordered on insanity.
4. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
One of Bayern Munich’s all-time greatest players, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge was great with both feet. He was also physically strong,could play anywhere along the front line and dominated with speed, dribbling and heading skills.
Rummenigge featured in back-to-back European Cup wins in 1983 and 1984, won a league title, the DFB-Pokal twice, and consecutive Ballon d’Or awards in 1980 and 1981. Even after his career on the pitch, Rummnigge has had a highly successful career off the pitch with Bayern Munich.
3. Manuel Neuer
Credited with revolutionising the modern day goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer is one of the best Bayern Munich players of all time. Having helped define the sweeper-keeper position, he’s helped maintain a continuous line of succession of legendary keepers for the club.
Tall, athletic and physically imposing, Neuer is well known for always being composed. Able to anticipate the game and rush off his line effectively, he helped guide Bayern Munich to eleven Bundesliga titles and the Champions League twice.
2. Gerd Muller
Affectionately known as “Der Bomber”, Gerd Muller was lethal in front of goal. Clinical from close range, he had a natural instinct in front of goal and of the game and scored 566 goals in 607 matches for the club.
What made Muller so difficult to contain was his ability to score with both feet as well as his head. He’d finish his career winning the Bundesliga four-times and the European Cup three times.
1. Franz Beckenbauer
Franz Beckenbauer is the best Bayern Munich player of all time. Starting out as a midfielder, he was a trailblazer for the modern sweeper position when he shifted into central defence early in his career.
One of the greatest defenders of all time, Beckenbauer won the Bundesliga four times, and the European Cup on three consecutive occasions between 1974 to 1976. Even from the back he scored 57 goals in 535 games for the club, and is the only defender to ever win the Ballon d’Or twice.