This is of course an entirely subjective list which I compiled just for fun. Please let me know if you disagree with the ranking. There are 10 categories: -Goalkeepers -Sweepers -Center Backs -Right Backs -Left Backs -Defensive Midfielders -Offensive Midfielders -Right Wingers -Center Forwards -Left Wingers Only players that did well while they played in the Bundesliga are featured. Thus you won't find players like Oliver Bierhoff or Karl-Heinz Schnellinger in this ranking. Many players did well at more than one position and will thus be featured in more than one category. Sized of categories varies from 30 to 70 positions as it's harder to come up with decent left wingers than offensive midfield players (a position that includes central midfield, left midfield and right midfield!). Regarding the clubs someone played for, I usually only listed two clubs, even if that someone played for three, four or more clubs during his Bundesliga career. I will start with goalkeepers.
TOP 40 GOALKEEPERS Rank #40 Horst PODLASLY (Hannover) *29 March 1936, Germany 187 Bundesliga appearances [1964-1971] Rank #39 Hansjörg BUTT (Hamburg, Leverkusen) *28 May 1974, Germany 3 International appearances [2000-2003] 308 Bundesliga appearances [1997-2006] Bundesliga runner-up 2002 German Cup beaten finalist 2002 Rank #38 Jürgen RYNIO (Dortmund, RWE, St. Pauli) *1 April 1948, Germany 186 Bundesliga appearances [1967-1978/1985-1986]
Rank #37 Wolfgang FAHRIAN (Hertha, TSV 1860, Fortuna Cologne) *31 May 1941, Germany 10 International appearances [1962-1964] 67 Bundesliga appearances [1964-1967/1973-1974] Bundesliga runner-up 1967 Rank #36 Helmut ROLEDER (Stuttgart) *9 October 1953, Germany 1 International appearance [1984] 280 Bundesliga appearances [1972-1986] Bundesliga Champion 1984 Bundesliga runner-up 1979 German Cup beaten finalist 1986 Rank #35 Arkoc ÖZCAN (Hamburg) *2 October 1939, Turkey 8 International appearances [1958-1965] 159 Bundesliga appearances [1967-1974]
Rank #34 Franz WOHLFAHRT (Stuttgart) *1 July 1964, Austria 59 International appearances [1987-2001] 118 Bundesliga appearances [1996-2000] German Cup winner 1997 Austrian Footballer of the Year 1993 Rank #33 Wolfgang KNEIB (M’Gladbach, Bielefeld) *20 November 1952, Germany 245 Bundesliga appearances [1976-1985], 1 goal Bundesliga Champion 1977 Bundesliga runner-up 1978 Rank #32 Gerald EHRMANN (Cologne, Kaiserslautern) *18 February 1959, Germany 294 Bundesliga appearances [1982-1996] Bundesliga Champion 1991 Bundesliga runner-up 1994 German Cup winner 1990 German Cup beaten finalist 1996
Rank #31 Ralf ZUMDICK (Bochum) *10 May 1958, Germany 282 Bundesliga appearances [1981-1993], 1 goal German Cup beaten finalist 1988 Rank #30 Dr. Peter KUNTER (Frankfurt) *28 April 1941, Germany 234 Bundesliga appearances [1965-1976] German Cup winner 1974, 1975 Rank #29 Günter SAWITZKI (Stuttgart) *22 November 1932, Germany 10 International appearances [1956-1963] 146 Bundesliga appearances [1963-1971] German Cup winner 1958
Rank #28 Milutin SOSKIC (Cologne) *31 December 1937, Yugoslavia 50 International appearances [1959-1966] 65 Bundesliga appearances [1966-1971] German Cup winner 1968 German Cup beaten finalist 1970, 1971 Rank #27 Gerhard HEINZE (Stuttgart, Duisburg) *30 November 1948, Germany 398 Bundesliga appearances [1967-1982] Rank #26 Oliver RECK (Bremen, Schalke) *27 February 1965, Germany 1 International appearance [1996] 471 Bundesliga appearances [1983-2003], 1 goal Bundesliga Champion 1988, 1993 Bundesliga runner-up 1995 German Cup winner 1991, 1994, 2001, 2002 German Cup beaten finalist 1989, 1990
Rank #25 Raimond AUMANN (Bayern) *12 October 1963, Germany 4 International appearances [1989-1990] 216 Bundesliga appearances [1984-1994] Bundesliga Champion 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1994 Bundesliga runner-up 1988, 1991, 1993 German Cup winner 1986 German Cup beaten finalist 1985 Rank #24 Uwe KAMPS (M’Gladbach) *12 June 1964, Germany 390 Bundesliga appearances [1982-1998/2004] German Cup winner 1995 German Cup beaten finalist 1984, 1992 Rank #23 Günter BERNARD (Bremen) *4 November 1939, Germany 5 International appearances [1962-1968] 287 Bundesliga appearances [1963-1973] Bundesliga Champion 1965 Bundesliga runner-up 1968
Rank #22 Frank ROST (Bremen, Schalke) *30 June 1973, Germany 4 International appearances [2002-2003] 274 Bundesliga appearances [1995-2006], 1 goal German Cup winner 1999 German Cup beaten finalist 2000, 2005 Rank #21 Eike IMMEL (Dortmund, Stuttgart) *27 November 1960, Germany 19 International appearances [1980-1988] 534 Bundesliga appearances [1978-1995] Bundesliga Champion 1992 Rank #20 Stefan KLOS (Dortmund) *16 August 1971, Germany 254 Bundesliga appearances [1990-1999] Bundesliga Champion 1995, 1996 Bundesliga runner-up 1992
Rank #19 Bodo ILLGNER (Cologne) *7 April 1967, Germany 54 International appearances [1987-1994] 326 Bundesliga appearances [1985-1997] Bundesliga runner-up 1989, 1990 German Cup beaten finalist 1991 Rank #18 Volkmar GROSS (Hertha, Schalke) *31 January 1948, Germany 1 International appearance [1970] 153 Bundesliga appearances [1968-1972/1976-1979], 1 goal Rank #17 Manfred MANGLITZ (Duisburg, Schalke) *8 March 1940, Germany 4 International appearances [1965-1970] 257 Bundesliga appearances [1963-1971], 1 goal Bundesliga runner-up 1964 German Cup beaten finalist 1966, 1970, 1971
Rank #16 Horst WOLTER (Brunswick, Hertha) *8 June 1942, Germany 13 International appearances [1967-1970] 243 Bundesliga appearances [1963-1977] Bundesliga Champion 1967 Bundesliga runner-up 1975 German Cup beaten finalist 1977 Rank #15 Hans TILKOWSKI (Dortmund, Frankfurt) *12 July 1935, Germany 39 International appearances [1957-1967] 121 Bundesliga appearances [1963-1969] Bundesliga runner-up 1966 German Cup winner 1965 German Cup beaten finalist 1963 German Footballer of the Year 1965 Rank #14 Wolfgang KLEFF (Gladbach, Düsseldorf) *16 November 1946, Germany 6 International appearances [1971-1973] 433 Bundesliga appearances [1968-1986] Bundesliga Champion 1970, 1971, 1975, 1976, 1977 Bundesliga runner-up 1974, 1978 German Cup winner 1973
Rank #13 Jens LEHMANN (Schalke, Dortmund) *10 November 1969, Germany 39 International appearances [1998-2006] 329 Bundesliga appearances [1991-2003], 2 goals Bundesliga Champion 2002 Rank #12 Dieter BURDENSKI (Bielefeld, Bremen) *26 November 1950, Germany 12 International appearances [1977-1984] 478 Bundesliga appearances [1970-1988], 1 goal Bundesliga Champion 1988 Bundesliga runner-up 1983, 1985, 1986 Rank #11 Bernd FRANKE (Brunswick) *12 February 1948, Germany 7 International appearances [1973-1982] 345 Bundesliga appearances [1971-1985]
Rank #10 Jean-Marie PFAFF (Bayern) *4 December 1953, Belgium 64 International appearances [1976-1987] 156 Bundesliga appearances [1982-1988] Bundesliga Champion 1985, 1986, 1987 Bundesliga runner-up 1988 German Cup winner 1984, 1986 German Cup beaten finalist 1985 Belgian Footballer of the Year 1978 Rank #9 Petar RADENKOVIC (TSV 1860) *1 October 1934, Yugoslavia 3 International appearances [1956] 215 Bundesliga appearances [1963-1970] Bundesliga Champion 1966 Bundesliga runner-up 1967 German Cup winner 1964 Rank #8 Rudolf KARGUS (Hamburg, Nuremberg) *15 August 1952, Germany 3 International appearances [1975-1977] 408 Bundesliga appearances [1971-1987] Bundesliga Champion 1979 Bundesliga runner-up 1976 German Cup winner 1976 German Cup beaten finalist 1974
Rank #7 Ronnie HELLSTRÖM (Kaiserslautern) *21 February 1949, Sweden 77 International appearances [1968-1980] 266 Bundesliga appearances [1974-1984] German Cup beaten finalist 1976, 1981 Swedish Footballer of the Year 1978 Rank #6 Ulrich STEIN (Hamburg, Frankfurt) *23 October 1954, Germany 6 International appearances [1983-1986] 512 Bundesliga appearances [1978-1997] Bundesliga Champion 1982, 1983 Bundesliga runner-up 1981, 1984, 1987 German Cup winner 1987, 1988 Rank #5 Norbert NIGBUR (Schalke, Hertha) *8 May 1948, Germany 6 International appearances [1974-1980] 456 Bundesliga appearances [1966-1983] Bundesliga runner-up 1972 German Cup winner 1972 German Cup beaten finalist 1969, 1977, 1979
Rank #4 Andreas KÖPKE (Nuremberg, Frankfurt) *12 March 1962, Germany 59 International appearances [1990-1998] 346 Bundesliga appearances [1986-1999], 2 goals German Footballer of the Year 1993
Rank #3 Harald SCHUMACHER (Cologne, Schalke) *6 March 1954, Germany 76 International appearances [1979-1986] 464 Bundesliga appearances [1973-1988/1991-1992/1995-1996] Bundesliga Champion 1978 Bundesliga runner-up 1982 German Cup winner 1977, 1978, 1983 German Cup beaten finalist 1980 German Footballer of the Year 1984, 1986
Rank #2 Josef MAIER (Bayern) *28 February 1944, Germany 95 International appearances [1966-1979] 473 Bundesliga appearances [1965-1979] Bundesliga Champion 1969, 1972, 1973, 1974 Bundesliga runner-up 1970, 1971 German Cup winner 1966, 1967, 1969, 1971 German Footballer of the Year 1975, 1977, 1978
Rank #1 Oliver KAHN (Karlsruhe, Bayern) *15 June 1969, Germany 86 International appearances [1995-2005] 505 Bundesliga appearances [1987-2006] Bundesliga Champion 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006 Bundesliga runner-up 1996, 1998, 2004 German Cup winner 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006 German Cup beaten finalist 1999 German Footballer of the Year 2000, 2001
In terms of the Bundesliga, Kahn was a more consistent keeper. Sepp Maier had too many lapses in concentration for my liking. Kahn's ability to concentrate on his job 100 percent was in my opinion unmatched. Even Maier himself stated that Oliver Kahn was a better keeper than he ever was. I'm not sure if Germany in 2002 would have reached the World Cup final with any other keeper than Oliver Kahn between the goal posts. Kahn between ca. 1997 and 2002 was the best keeper I've seen so far.
Top 40 Right Backs Rank #40 Heiner BALTES (Düsseldorf) *19 August 1949, Germany, full back 279 Bundesliga appearances [1971-1981], 11 goals German Cup winner 1979, 1980 German Cup beaten finalist 1978 Rank #39 Fritz POTT (Cologne) *23 April 1939, Germany, full back 3 International appearances [1962-1964], 0 goals 151 Bundesliga appearances [1963-1969], 7 goals Bundesliga Champion 1964 Bundesliga runner-up 1965 German Cup winner 1968 Rank #38 Reinhold WOSAB (Dortmund, Bochum) *25 February 1938, Germany, full back/linkman/winger/center forward 257 Bundesliga appearances [1963-1973], 70 goals Bundesliga runner-up 1966 German Cup winner 1965
Rank #37 Wolfgang WOLF (Kaiserslautern) *24 September 1957, Germany, right back/center back 308 Bundesliga appearances [1978-1992], 16 goals German Cup beaten finalist 1981 Rank #36 Theodor REDDER (Dortmund) *19 November 1941, Germany, full back 1 International appearance [1964], 0 goals 115 Bundesliga appearances [1963-1969], 2 goals Bundesliga runner-up 1966 German Cup winner 1965 Rank #35 Karl-Heinz KAMP (Werder) *26 September 1946, Germany, full back/midfielder 361 Bundesliga appearances [1970-1984], 26 goals Bundesliga runner-up 1983
Rank #34 Hermann GERLAND (Bochum) *4 June 1954, Germany, center back/full back 204 Bundesliga appearances [1972-1984], 4 goals Rank #33 Manfred WAGNER (TSV 1860) *31 August 1938, Germany, right back 187 Bundesliga appearances [1963-1970], 3 goals Bundesliga Champion 1966 Bundesliga runner-up 1967 German Cup winner 1964 Rank #32 Hasse BORG (Brunswick) *4 August 1953, Sweden, right back/center back 49 International appearances [1976-1985], 4 goals 139 Bundesliga appearances [1977-1983], 7 goals
Rank #31 Werner OLK (Bayern) *18 January 1938, Germany, full back/half back 1 International appearance [1961], 0 goals 144 Bundesliga appearances [1965-1970], 2 goals Bundesliga Champion 1969 Bundesliga runner-up 1970 German Cup winner 1966, 1967, 1969 Rank #30 Hans NOWAK (Schalke, Bayern) *9 August 1937, Germany, right back/right wing 15 International appearances [1961-1964], 0 goals 96 Bundesliga appearances [1963-1968], 7 goals German Cup winner 1966, 1967 Rank #29 Horst LEUPOLD (Nuremberg) *30 January 1942, Germany, right back 167 Bundesliga appearances [1963-1969], 2 goals Bundesliga Champion 1968