# Who is the best midfielder in Bundesliga history?

> From Matthäus to Modrić's heir — cast your vote for the greatest midfielder ever to grace the Bundesliga.

*By YPB Team · Published May 27, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/who-is-the-best-midfielder-in-bundesliga-history*

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## Current results (1 vote)

1. **Lothar Matthäus** — score 1000/1000
   Bayern Munich legend who won the 1990 Ballon d'Or and captained West Germany to World Cup glory, widely regarded as the greatest Bundesliga midfielder ever.
2. **Bastian Schweinsteiger** — score 777/1000
   Bayern Munich's midfield heartbeat for over a decade, winning eight Bundesliga titles and the 2013 UEFA Champions League.
3. **Michael Ballack** — score 678/1000
   Powerful box-to-box midfielder who starred for Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich, captaining Germany for a generation.
4. **Marco Reus** — score 555/1000
   Borussia Dortmund's long-serving captain and attacking midfielder, a fan favourite who spent his peak years at the club.
5. **Mehmet Scholl** — score 555/1000
   Silky Bayern Munich technician beloved by fans for his creativity and match-winning moments across the 1990s and 2000s.
6. **İlkay Gündoğan** — score 555/1000
   Technically refined Borussia Dortmund deep-lying playmaker before his move to Manchester City and eventual stardom.
7. **Thomas Müller** — score 555/1000
   Bayern Munich's selfless 'Raumdeuter' and all-time Bundesliga assist leader, redefining the attacking midfield role with intelligence.
8. **Wolfgang Overath** — score 396/1000
   1. FC Köln's cultured playmaker and 1974 World Cup winner who spent his entire career in the Bundesliga.
9. **Toni Kroos** — score 396/1000
   Supremely elegant passer who won multiple Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich before becoming a Real Madrid icon.
10. **Günter Netzer** — score 396/1000
   Creative playmaker who steered Borussia Mönchengladbach to back-to-back Bundesliga titles in 1970 and 1971 with visionary passing.
11. **Stefan Effenberg** — score 396/1000
   Combative Bayern Munich leader who was the driving force behind the club's 2001 UEFA Champions League triumph.
12. **Mario Götze** — score 396/1000
   Gifted Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich playmaker who scored Germany's 2014 World Cup winning goal.
13. **Kevin de Bruyne** — score 396/1000
   Belgian maestro who dazzled at Wolfsburg in 2014-15 and earned the Bundesliga Player of the Year award before joining Manchester City.
14. **Torsten Frings** — score 396/1000
   Versatile and combative midfielder who won the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal with both Bayern Munich and Werder Bremen.

Tags: germany, football, legends, bundesliga, midfielders