10. Fritz Walter
A fantastic footballer who played a massive 411 games for Kaiserslautern and scored an incredible 380 goals, Walter truly deserved the accolades he received. With a fantastic performance winning West Germany the 1954 FIFA World Cup, Walter was the frontline’s hope for Germany and his club, for over 21 years.
09. Uwe Seeler
A player who scored 4 goals on his debut, as an 17 year old, had definitely something special for the world of football. A gifted striker who loved the overhead kick, Seeler had over 225 goals in 318 league games while his international tally stood at 43 from 72 games. Despite participating in four world cup tournaments, Seeler never won the tournament although he did reach the finals in 1966.
08. Oliver Kahn
He wasn’t the best goalkeeper out there, except in his latter years when he matured to put in one of the finest seasons of football. After leading Bayern Munich to the UEFA Champions League title, Kahn became Germany’s hero on the way to the final of the 2002 FIFA World Cup. However, he will be known more for his fantastic ability as a leader and also as one of the most influential men between the posts.
07. Sepp Maier
Sepp Maier was called “The Cat from Anzing” for his amazing reflexes and fantastic agility. Maier won everything there was to win in the world of football. He won the German League title 4 times (include three in a row), the German Cup four times, the European Cup three times in a row, the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, the Intercontinental Cup, the 1972 European Championships as well as the 1974 FIFA World Cup. He was named German Footballer of the Year three times, and all this despite standing in goal.
06. Rudi Voller
A fantastic striker who formed the mind of a heart-&-mind pairing at Italia’90, Rudi Voller is one of the best strikers to come out of Germany. With a fantastic ability to finish with either foot, Voller was known for his fantastic natural scoring talent and instinct. He scored 47 goals for the national team and played for some of the best teams around Europe. Truly a player of world class ability!
05. Jurgen Klinsmann
He has been, by far, the greatest striker for Germany in the modern era. A fantastic header as well as precise placement and skill, Klinsmann had everything needed to succeed within the penalty area. A fantastic target man, Klinsmann would go on to win almost every major title at the club & country level, including the 1990 FIFA World Cup.
04. Lothar Matthaus
He was the reason why West Germany won the 1990 FIFA World Cup. Lothar Matthaus controlled the midfield like it was nobody’s business. He marshaled his resources, made the moves, stopped them and played under Franz Beckenbauer just like Beckenbauer would have played himself. A true champion of the game, Matthaus was a leader, an enforcer, a playmaker and a goal scorer, all rolled into one.
03. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
Rummenigge was the almost-perfect striker. He would score at will and took his teams to the pinnacle of club and international football. He was crowned as the top scorer of his team’s league on four separate occasions, was German Footballer of the Year once and European Footballer of the Year twice, and in 1972 & 1986, took his West German side to the finals of the world cup, only to end up on the losing team on both occasions.
02. Gerd Muller
He looked timid and shy, but when on the football pitch, those couldn’t be further from the truth. 365 goals in 427 league appearances and 68 goals in 62 appearances, the only two figures that can somewhat signify the mammoth that Gerd Muller was. His 66 goals in European competitions is the second highest in European football, and was awarded the Greatest Goal Scorer of All Time, by FIFA. He has a Golden Boot from the world cup in 1970 as well as two European Golden Boots from 1970 & 72. He was the top scorer in European competitions more times than most had appearances and for Muller, every single trophy, including the 1974 FIFA World Cup was an acknowledgement of his fabulous ability.
01. Franz Beckenbauer
Had it not been for Beckenbauer’s magnificence as a leader and a player, Muller would have certainly been number one. Beckenbauer invented the Libero, a sweeper position where the player would assist in attack and in defence. He would make moves, break them up, create goal scoring opportunities, take freekicks, direct tactics and lead the team as a single unit. There was no doubt that Beckenbauer was undoubtedly the king out on the pitch, as his nickname “Der Kaiser” suggested. He took Germany to the 1974 World Cup title, as well as the 1972 European Championship title. He was one of the best overall players to step onto the pitch, this is without taking into account his fantastic career as a manager.