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Some facts within the world of football cannot be argued against and Bayern Munich being the strongest force in the Bundesliga is one of those. Since the beginning of time, Bavarians have dominated Bundesliga and have maintained their supremacy.
Thus, it is not surprising that almost every greatest Bundesliga player is or has been a Bayern Munich player.
Bayern Munich have won 31 titles in the history of the league. The tally means they have won 22 titles more than the second-placed FC Nürnberg. The secret to Bayern's success is simple: they have always housed the best players from Germany, if not Europe.
It has always been a two-way road for the club and the players. Bayern are always on the hunt for the best players within the country. Meanwhile, nobody can say no to the most successful German club that can launch their careers.
Over the course of years, Bayern Munich have bred and brought in some of the most iconic footballers in the history of the sport. While it is a near impossible task to assemble the five greatest Bundesliga players, we have done our bit in attempting to do so.
Without further ado, let's take a look at
5 greatest players in Bundesliga history
#5 Franck Ribery (2007-2019) | Bayern Munich
Franck Ribery arrived in Germany from Marseille for a then-club record €25 million fee in 2007. It was the beginning of an era as the Frenchman went on to become arguably the most beloved foreign player in the Bundesliga for years to come.
Ribery also formed a deadly duo on the flanks alongside his club teammate Arjen Robben during his time in the Bundesliga. Dubbed 'Robbery', the duo wreaked havoc in Germany and Europe.
After being an integral part of the Bundesliga for 12 seasons, Franck Ribery left Germany in 2019 to join Serie A side Fiorentina. The 2006 FIFA World Cup runner-up left Bundesliga as one of the most decorated players in the history of the league.
#4 Franz Beckenbauer (1964–1977 | Bayern Munich, 1980–1982 | Hamburger SV)
The Ballon d'Or has helped us identify the greatest players in the history of football. We have seen the trophy being handed out mostly in the favor of forwards. But there was a defender who went by the name Franz Beckenbauer, who won it twice.
Apart from being a two-time (1972 and 1976) winner, Beckenbauer was always one of the front runners for the trophy during his prime. That too, among a bunch of great players like Gerd Muller, Johan Cruyff, George Best and Bobby Charlton among others.
The German defender was known for his aerial and leadership abilities. Franz Beckenbauer is considered one of the best players in the history of football.
#3 Oliver Kahn (1987-1994 | Karlshruher FC, 1994–2008 | Bayern Munich)
Oliver Kahn's name is synonymous with goalkeeping excellence. The German shot-stopper was known for aggression, reflexes and distribution. He was considered one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time and an inspiration for those after him. Oliver Kahn was always on top of his form throughout his Bundesliga days.
Kahn won 22 major trophies with the Bavarians along with many individual accolades. The year 2002 saw Oliver Kahn accumulate the FIFA World Cup Golden Ball and the FIFA World Cup Yashin Award. He also won the FIFA World Player of the Year Silver Award and many more.
Oliver Khan was a strong presence for his club and country throughout his lengthy career. He is considered one of the best Bundesliga and German players of all time.
#2 Gerd Muller (1964-1979 | Bayern Munich)
Before Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi started smashing records for fun, there was one man who held almost all records to his name. It is none other than Bundesliga and German legend Gerd Muller.
It was nearly impossible for others to get past Gerd Muller in terms of goal scoring within the league. He scored 365 goals in 427 appearances in the Bundesliga. In his 14 years in Bundesliga, Muller ended up as the competition's top scorer seven times.
Gerd Muller's career kept growing upwards during his prime Bayern Munich days. The same saw him score phenomenally for his national side West Germany. Gerd Muller has netted 68 goals in 62 games for his national side.
He held multiple goalscoring records as well. He scored 40 goals in the 1971-72 season, which was broken by Robert Lewandowski only last season. He also held the record for most goals in a calendar year (85) in 1972, which was broken by Lionel Messi in 2012 with 91 goals.
He helped Bayern Munich secure three consecutive European Cups (1973–74, 1974–75 and 1975–76). Muller's career is etched into the golden books of Bundesliga history.
#1 Robert Lewandowski (2010-2014 | Borussia Dortmund, 2014-Present | Bayern Munich)
Robert Lewandowski has the world backing him at the moment. The Polish striker was robbed off the 2020 Ballon d'Or following COVID-19 restrictions. At the 2021 Ballon d'Or, he once again had to watch someone else (Messi) lift the trophy despite putting in his best efforts.
Lewandowski has been a part of Bundesliga since 2010. Ever since, the former Borussia Dortmund man has seen nothing but improvement in his numbers and form. Lewandowski's numbers have been sensational and he is only getting better season after season. He has scored 293 goals in 365 matches in the Bundesliga. He is second on the league's all-time top scorers list, only behind Gerd Muller.
While many consider Bundesliga to be a fairly easy league, Robert Lewandowski has proven his worth in European competition and international stages too. Robert Lewandowski and Bayern Munich together have scaled new heights and it is something that probably could not be emulated by any other.
This concludes our list of the best players in the history of Bundesliga. Please post your comments in the section below.
