- 1 day ago
From legendary sweeper-keepers to deadly strikers, Germany has produced some of the greatest footballers the world has ever seen. Join us as we pick our all-time starting eleven for the German national side, plus the players you need to watch heading into the 2026 World Cup! Who makes the cut, and who do you think deserves a spot? Let us know in the comments below!
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:12Welcome to the FIFA World Cup on WatchMojo, and today we're picking an all-time starting
00:1811 for the German national side.
00:20Be sure to stick around for the full line-up, because at the end of the video, we'll rapid
00:25fire through the very best players to watch out for, in the 2026 tournament specifically.
00:33Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer
00:35There are very few goalkeepers in football history who truly revolutionized the position.
00:40When it comes to 21st century goalkeepers, none can hold a candle to Manuel Neuer in
00:46this regard.
00:47Not only did he perfect the sweeper-keeper role, but he consistently played at the very
00:52highest level for over a decade and a half.
00:54Technically, he combines excellent reflexes, aerial dominance, and command of the penalty
01:00area with outfield-level passing and elite decision-making.
01:05His longevity is something that needs to be studied, and even as he approaches his 40th
01:11birthday, he's still performing capably.
01:14Right back.
01:15Philipp Lahm
01:16During his long and successful career with Bayern Munich and the German national team, Philipp
01:21Lahm was one of the most cerebral and versatile full-backs of all time.
01:26During his 113 camps for Germany, he took home the 2014 World Cup while wearing the captain's
01:32armband.
01:33Though he retired from international football at 30 and club football at 33, his legacy
01:39was already set in stone.
01:41Lahm was an elite figure in the sports and a key player for the country's greatest club
01:46for over a decade.
01:48A benchmark for how right-backs should approach the modern game.
01:52Center-back.
01:53Franz Beckenbauer
01:54To sum up Franz Beckenbauer's legacy by merely listing accomplishments would do it a disservice.
02:01Although, we're going to name them regardless.
02:12He won a World Cup, a European Championship, three European Cups, four Bundesliga titles,
02:19and two Ballon d'Ors.
02:20We should also point out that he was the runner-up for the Ballon d'Or on two other occasions.
02:25He might have been the most complete footballer of his generation.
02:30His ability to control the game tactically from the center-back position was a real revolution
02:35at the time.
02:36His defending talents were world-class, but he also had real elegance with the ball at
02:41his feet that elevated him far beyond his peers.
02:44Center-back.
02:45Jürgen Kola
02:46Man-marking was the name of the game when it came to the legendary Jürgen Kola.
02:51As one of the finest center-backs of the 1990s, he was a true physical force that excelled
02:57in fiercely contested one-on-one duels.
02:59His aerial prowess was matched by his tackling and overall positioning.
03:04In many ways, he was a stereotypical center-back in all the best ways.
03:09He was by no means flamboyant on the ball, but when the opposition were on the attack,
03:14he was as reliable as any player of his era.
03:17He also played a huge role in West Germany's 1990 World Cup and 1996 European Championship
03:24triumphs.
03:25Left-back.
03:26Paul Breitner
03:27Germany has had an undeniable knack for producing offensively-minded fullbacks who ended up revolutionizing
03:34the position.
03:35Paul Breitner was a trailblazer in that regard well before most others.
03:39He had a world-class tactical awareness, but also many key attacking attributes that eventually
03:45made him a very skilled midfielder.
03:47A big-game player in the truest sense, he represented both Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, winning
03:54a host of domestic titles and a European Cup in 1974.
03:59He also bagged a crucial goal in the 1974 World Cup final, helping his West Germany side lift
04:05their second trophy.
04:06Center-Midfield
04:08Lothar Matthäus
04:10Ask any true football expert for their list of the top 10 greatest center midfielders of
04:15all time, and you're very likely to hear the name Lothar Matthäus.
04:19At his peak, he was a dynamic box-to-box midfielder and the captain of the West German side that
04:25managed to win the 1990 World Cup.
04:27He also took home the Ballon d'Or award for that year.
04:30To this day, his 150 appearances make him the most capped German player of all time, and
04:36it really doesn't appear as though that record will be beaten any time soon.
04:40He was a great technician, mixing excellent passing, shooting and tackling, with a phenomenal
04:47work rate and overall stamina.
04:49An easy pick on any all-time great German lineup.
04:53Center-Midfield
04:54Toni Kroos
04:55As one of his era's premier midfield maestros, Toni Kroos was among the most technically precise
05:01players around.
05:09His ability to control tempo made him an invaluable member of a highly successful Bayern Munich
05:15side before he was then a part of a generation-defining Real Madrid dynasty.
05:20He won the World Cup with Germany in 2014, but his most incredible career achievements
05:25was winning a frankly insane six Champions League trophies.
05:29By the time he retired in 2024, he was one of the most decorated German footballers to ever
05:35do it.
05:36Right midfielder, Thomas Muller
05:38Masterful positioning is just one of the qualities that Thomas Muller brings to the table, leading
05:44to his nickname as Der Rundeuter, which means interpreter of space.
06:01Regarded by many past managers as one of the most intelligent and tactically astute footballers
06:07ever, Muller had a highly unorthodox way of approaching the game.
06:10At his peak, he saw gaps in defenses that most players wouldn't, and over the course of his
06:16career, the stats eventually backed it up.
06:19He is the German player with the most goals and assists in Champions League history, and
06:24a two-time winner of the trophy.
06:26He also has a World Cup and a record 13 Bundesliga titles.
06:31He is the most decorated German footballer of all time, with 35 career trophies.
06:37Left midfielder, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
06:41Style and flair were the name of the game when it came to the legendary Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
06:46Two Ballon d'Or awards, two European Cups, and a Euro 1980 championship with West Germany
06:53only tell part of the story.
06:54On the field, Rummenigge was a complete forward with pace, technical skill, and a real eye for
07:01goal when it mattered most.
07:03Elite-level composure was a constant during his best years, and he had quite a high level
07:08of versatility in terms of positioning.
07:10Though injuries hampered his overall longevity, his legacy was already concrete when he finally
07:16hung up his boots.
07:20The leadership of the great Fritz Walter was an absolutely key component in the 1954 Miracle
07:27of Bern that West Germany overcame Hungary to win the World Cup.
07:41His presence as captain is the stuff of legend, and his creativity and offensive prowess will
07:47go way ahead of their time.
07:48He spent his entire club career with FC Kaiserslautern helping them win two league titles while scoring
07:55a remarkable 348 goals in 364 appearances.
08:00Though international clubs often tried to take him away from his hometown, he never moved,
08:06spending 22 years as a key member of the team.
08:09They eventually named their stadium the Fritz Walter Stadion in his honor.
08:15Striker Gerd Müller No list of all-time great pure strikers
08:19would be complete without a mention for the mighty Der Bomber himself, Gerd Müller.
08:37Known for his elite goal-scoring record and predatory mindset in the final third, what he lacked in
08:43physical presence, he made up for in virtually every other way.
08:46He was the Ballon d'Or winner in 1970, won a World Cup in 1974, and took home four league
08:53titles and three European Cups for Bayern Munich.
08:57His goal-scoring prowess saw him set many records that took decades to be broken.
09:02When all was said and done, he had 656 goals in 718 games at club level and a staggering 68
09:11goals in 62 international appearances.
09:14Subs bench Oliver Kahn, talismanic shot-stopper who dominated
09:18the 90s and 2000s Bertie Vogt, disciplined defender and linchpin
09:24of Germany's 1970s team Matthias Sammer, Euro 1996 winner who was awarded that year's
09:31Ballon d'Or.
09:33Michael Ballack, the quintessential midfielder general with 98 caps under his belt.
09:38Gunther Netzer, elegant playmaker who orchestrated West Germany's Euro 1972 win.
09:45Wolfgang Overart, technically masterful midfielder who achieved World Cup glory in 1974.
09:53Jürgen Klinsmann, one of Germany's all-time great goal-poachers for club and country.
09:58Miroslav Klose, all-time World Cup scoring record holder with 16 goals.
10:04Uwe Zeyla, incredibly prolific scorer who had nearly 500 career goals.
10:10So, those are the greatest of all time.
10:12But how about right now?
10:14Who are the players you need to know before World Cup 2026 kicks off in America, Mexico
10:19and Canada?
10:20Florian Wirtz, now rightly regarded as one of the star-attacking midfielders of world
10:25football, 2026 tournaments will almost certainly not be Florian Wirtz's last.
10:30Florian Wirtz, so tricky, so very, very tricky, oh my goodness, what great footwork, and that's
10:39a marvellous goal, Florian Wirtz!
10:43However, that doesn't mean that there's any less pressure on him.
10:47He has all the potential in the world to have a breakout tournament at international level,
10:51and his spot in the starting 11 is all but guaranteed from the group stage onwards.
11:03Jamal Musiala
11:05Despite his age, the 23-year-old Jamal Musiala has now represented Germany at three major tournaments,
11:12starting all the way back at Euro 2020, which was played in 2021.
11:17If he is fully fit and locked in for this campaign, there will be no doubts over his role as
11:22a
11:23key player.
11:32Jamal Musiala
11:33After a horrific leg break in July of 2025, there will be lingering questions that he
11:39will need to answer, but time is well and truly on his side.
11:50Joshua Kimmich
11:52Now well into his prime years and captaining the German side, Joshua Kimmich will play a
11:57major leadership role within this team.
12:00Though it's not a given that this will be his last World Cup, he will certainly be at
12:04the peak of his powers for this tournament at 31 years old.
12:10He picks up the torch in a long line of legendary captains this nation has produced, and this
12:17will likely be the most important World Cup of his career.
12:27Kai Havertz
12:28If Kai Havertz can turn up in consistent form, this World Cup will represent a pretty huge leap
12:34for him.
12:41Years of promise eventually need to lead to concrete results, and at 26, Havertz now has a golden
12:48opportunity to take his reputation to a different level.
12:51There will be quite a lot of competition for a place in the starting eleven, so every single
12:56spark of magic he can produce at club level will be crucial.
13:00However, if Havertz gets his chance to shine, he has the ability to make something special happen.
13:06And it's going to fall for Kai Havertz against his former club, Havertz for Wembley!
13:11Ho-ho!
13:15Returned and relentless!
13:19Yonatan Tarr
13:20Every great team needs a strong foundation in defence, and that's exactly what Yonatan Tarr
13:25brings to the table.
13:34At 30, he will never be as physically primed as he is now, and his presence on the field
13:40will be a huge asset to the German side.
13:43Size alone doesn't pay the bills, but Tarr brings a lot of other skills and attributes
13:48to the table.
13:57If he can maintain his form, expect him to become a key member of a solid German backline.
14:03But how do you predict Germany will do in the 2026 World Cup?
14:08Let us know in those comments below!
14:18...
14:18...
14:18You
Comments