Germany Team of all Time

Sepp Maier
Philip Lahm - Franz Beckenbaur - Jurgen Kohler - Paul Breitner
Michael Ballack - Gunter Netzer - Lothaur Matthaus - Andreas Brehme
Gerd Muller - Jurgen Klinsmann

Subs: Oliver Kahn, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Rudi Voller, Berti Voigts, Miroslav Klose, Oliver Bierhoff, Harold Schumacher.

No Littbarski or Effenberg?

Jayo Cluxton wrote:No Littbarski or Effenberg?

Add them to the subs.

What do you think JC, you've seen lots of tournaments in your time I imagine?

Not bad Loyal, but looks a bit like you are trying to squeeze players into a formation (Bremhre in midfield, and Ballack on the right wing?).

Also, I don't think you could pick a German side to play 4-4-2, when most of their great sides featured a sweeper.

Thomas Clarke wrote:Not bad Loyal, but looks a bit like you are trying to squeeze players into a formation (Bremhre in midfield, and Ballack on the right wing?).

Also, I don't think you could pick a German side to play 4-4-2, when most of their great sides featured a sweeper.

I guess you would have Brehme at LB instead of Breitner?

Do I recall Ballack starting out with his career as a left-sided player for Bayer Leverkusen.

Care to put up your own team?

I'd venture...



The rest of what you had would be fine subs, as would Littbarski, Bernd Schuster, Mattias Sammer, Uwe Seeler and a couple of others.

Thomas Clarke wrote:I'd venture...

Sepp Maier

Franz Beckenbauer

Berti Vogts Jurgen Kohler

Rainer Bonhoff

Paul Breitner

Lothar Mattheus Gunter Netzer Wolfgang Overath

Fritz Walter

Gerd Muller

The rest of what you had would be fine subs, as would Littbarski, Bernd Schuster, Mattias Sammer, Uwe Seeler and a couple of others.

That's a fine team TC.

It's interesting - The Germans have produced many great sides over the years as well as many great players but only Beckenbaur and Matthaus are household names in the same way that about two dozen Brazilians or Argentians are. Never anything flash about any player that ever played for Germany, but their teams have some record of going out and getting the job done.

As it stands, I wonder who are the greatest European football nation of all time? The Germans or the Italians? Or even the under-achieving Dutch?

Yep Bonhoff was a super player - forgot him. Good team Loyal but maybe squeezing guys into position as TC says - TC team excellent too. I think the Germans are the top European team without a doubt. And look at the current side - more names that will join the greats. I'll never forgive them for that drubbing of England last Summer though ...

Jayo Cluxton wrote:Yep Bonhoff was a super player - forgot him. Good team Loyal but maybe squeezing guys into position as TC says - TC team excellent too. I think the Germans are the top European team without a doubt. And look at the current side - more names that will join the greats. I'll never forgive them for that drubbing of England last Summer though ...

Why is that?

To see Ingerland humiliated ruined my day altogether ......

no mention of Klaus Augenthaler -surely worth a place on the bench

Jayo Cluxton wrote:To see Ingerland humiliated ruined my day altogether ......

Yeah rained goals all the way from Dublin to Bloemfontein that day alright.

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:Yeah rained goals all the way from Dublin to Bloemfontein that day alright.

Sure did! I was waiting for the brother outside Some Like it Hot and the roof of Quinns nearly came off - twice! Dub guy and the missus beside me says 'I don't think England scored....'

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:

Thomas Clarke wrote:I'd venture...

Sepp Maier

Franz Beckenbauer

Berti Vogts Jurgen Kohler

Rainer Bonhoff

Paul Breitner

Lothar Mattheus Gunter Netzer Wolfgang Overath

Fritz Walter

Gerd Muller

The rest of what you had would be fine subs, as would Littbarski, Bernd Schuster, Mattias Sammer, Uwe Seeler and a couple of others.

That's a fine team TC.

It's interesting - The Germans have produced many great sides over the years as well as many great players but only Beckenbaur and Matthaus are household names in the same way that about two dozen Brazilians or Argentians are. Never anything flash about any player that ever played for Germany, but their teams have some record of going out and getting the job done.

As it stands, I wonder who are the greatest European football nation of all time? The Germans or the Italians? Or even the under-achieving Dutch?

Could you name the 2 dozen household Argentine footballers from the past please

Jayo Cluxton wrote:No Littbarski or Effenberg?

Did you have ~Litbarski football boots ?

The Puke wrote:

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:
It's interesting - The Germans have produced many great sides over the years as well as many great players but only Beckenbaur and Matthaus are household names in the same way that about two dozen Brazilians or Argentians are. Never anything flash about any player that ever played for Germany, but their teams have some record of going out and getting the job done.

As it stands, I wonder who are the greatest European football nation of all time? The Germans or the Italians? Or even the under-achieving Dutch?

Could you name the 2 dozen household Argentine footballers from the past please

I'd suggest that a couple of dozen Argentinians might be an exaggeration, but it is a fair enough point to make. Argentina have won one World Cup, yet they have the likes of Maradona, DiStefano and (in the future) Messi, all of whom would be regarded as being among the very, very best we have ever seen. Germany have only Beckenbauer in that bracket.

But what Germany have had, is a lot of excellent players, who raise their game when they wear a German shirt. Miroslav Klose is as good an example of this as you will find - not as talented or as vaunted as a Veron or a Riquelme, but he will be remembered long after these guys are forgotten, as he always did the business when his country needed him.

To answer Loyal's last question, as to who is the greatest European side of all time, well it could only be Germany. On paper, their 'Best 11' may not look as impressive as Holland, France or Italy, but their results outstrip any of those sides. France and Spain, especially for their size, spent too many years in the doldrums, while the Dutch, for all their talent, would need to have won a couple of world cups to be considered. England are no more worthy of a mention than Hungary, or even Yugoslavia.

Italy would be the closest, having won 4 world cups to Germany's 3, but 2 of those were before the war and backboned by Argentinians, and they were not competitive for long periods during the 50s, early 60s, a lot of the 70s and late 80s. Germany have been there or thereabouts ever since their breakthrough in 1954, having won several european championships and made numerous world cup semis and finals. They just never looked as gifted on paper.

Thomas Clarke wrote:

The Puke wrote:

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:
It's interesting - The Germans have produced many great sides over the years as well as many great players but only Beckenbaur and Matthaus are household names in the same way that about two dozen Brazilians or Argentians are. Never anything flash about any player that ever played for Germany, but their teams have some record of going out and getting the job done.

As it stands, I wonder who are the greatest European football nation of all time? The Germans or the Italians? Or even the under-achieving Dutch?

Could you name the 2 dozen household Argentine footballers from the past please

I'd suggest that a couple of dozen Argentinians might be an exaggeration, but it is a fair enough point to make. Argentina have won one World Cup, yet they have the likes of Maradona, DiStefano and (in the future) Messi, all of whom would be regarded as being among the very, very best we have ever seen. Germany have only Beckenbauer in that bracket.

But what Germany have had, is a lot of excellent players, who raise their game when they wear a German shirt. Miroslav Klose is as good an example of this as you will find - not as talented or as vaunted as a Veron or a Riquelme, but he will be remembered long after these guys are forgotten, as he always did the business when his country needed him.

To answer Loyal's last question, as to who is the greatest European side of all time, well it could only be Germany. On paper, their 'Best 11' may not look as impressive as Holland, France or Italy, but their results outstrip any of those sides. France and Spain, especially for their size, spent too many years in the doldrums, while the Dutch, for all their talent, would need to have won a couple of world cups to be considered. England are no more worthy of a mention than Hungary, or even Yugoslavia.

Italy would be the closest, having won 4 world cups to Germany's 3, but 2 of those were before the war and backboned by Argentinians, and they were not competitive for long periods during the 50s, early 60s, a lot of the 70s and late 80s. Germany have been there or thereabouts ever since their breakthrough in 1954, having won several european championships and made numerous world cup semis and finals. They just never looked as gifted on paper.

Mario Kempes and Daniel Passerela will be rather disappointed to see that you don't acknowledge their victory in 1978

I must be getting old - first I forget to send in my choices for this week's tipping contest, and now this!

OMAR wrote:

Jayo Cluxton wrote:No Littbarski or Effenberg?

Did you have ~Litbarski football boots ?

Needing size 13 precluded me from many of these fancy jobs ....

Also speaking of household names ... Rene Houseman anyone?

Thomas Clarke wrote:

The Puke wrote:

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:
It's interesting - The Germans have produced many great sides over the years as well as many great players but only Beckenbaur and Matthaus are household names in the same way that about two dozen Brazilians or Argentians are. Never anything flash about any player that ever played for Germany, but their teams have some record of going out and getting the job done.

As it stands, I wonder who are the greatest European football nation of all time? The Germans or the Italians? Or even the under-achieving Dutch?

Could you name the 2 dozen household Argentine footballers from the past please

I'd suggest that a couple of dozen Argentinians might be an exaggeration, but it is a fair enough point to make. Argentina have won one World Cup, yet they have the likes of Maradona, DiStefano and (in the future) Messi, all of whom would be regarded as being among the very, very best we have ever seen. Germany have only Beckenbauer in that bracket.

But what Germany have had, is a lot of excellent players, who raise their game when they wear a German shirt. Miroslav Klose is as good an example of this as you will find - not as talented or as vaunted as a Veron or a Riquelme, but he will be remembered long after these guys are forgotten, as he always did the business when his country needed him.

To answer Loyal's last question, as to who is the greatest European side of all time, well it could only be Germany. On paper, their 'Best 11' may not look as impressive as Holland, France or Italy, but their results outstrip any of those sides. France and Spain, especially for their size, spent too many years in the doldrums, while the Dutch, for all their talent, would need to have won a couple of world cups to be considered. England are no more worthy of a mention than Hungary, or even Yugoslavia.

Italy would be the closest, having won 4 world cups to Germany's 3, but 2 of those were before the war and backboned by Argentinians, and they were not competitive for long periods during the 50s, early 60s, a lot of the 70s and late 80s. Germany have been there or thereabouts ever since their breakthrough in 1954, having won several european championships and made numerous world cup semis and finals. They just never looked as gifted on paper.

I often wonder what would have became of the Yugoslavia side if they had stayed together through the early-mid 90s and not broken up....Even now if they had the pick of Slovenia, Bosnia, Croatia, Montenegro & Serbia they would have a fair team