Today, German football legend Lothar Matthäus was interviewed by Bild, during which he ranked his top 10 greatest German football players of all time. Franz Beckenbauer tops the list, with several former captains making the cut.
1st Place: Franz Beckenbauer. He ranks first not only for sporting reasons but also personal ones. Beckenbauer made everything he touched shine.
2nd Place: Gerd Müller, whose goal-scoring prowess was unparalleled. He remains the all-time top scorer in the Bundesliga, a record that stands unchallenged.
3rd Place: Miroslav Klose. Klose has broken almost every record: he is the top scorer for the DFB with 71 goals and holds the World Cup record with 16 goals, surpassing Ronaldo’s mark.
4th Place: Uwe Seeler. Uwe participated in four World Cups. His goal-scoring instinct was incredible, and he is one of my heroes.
5th Place: Manuel Neuer. For me, he is the best goalkeeper in history. Without him, the 2014 World Cup victory would have been unimaginable. He redefined the role of a goalkeeper.
6th Place: Philipp Lahm. Lahm performed exceptionally well in every World Cup and chose to retire at the peak of his career.
7th Place: Toni Kroos. He commands the team in his own way, winning the favor of German fans. At the club level, he has had a significant impact and now represents German football globally.
8th Place: Andreas Brehme. He is the smartest player I have ever worked with. Andreas always knew exactly what he needed to do, and I have never seen any other player perform with such clarity.
9th Place: Fritz Walter. He contributed to the popularity and social acceptance of football in Germany. He was the captain of the most surprising World Cup-winning team in history.
10th Place: Günter Netzer. Many people of my age wanted to be like him. His charm and talent continue to captivate me.
