Germany’s perennial underdogs Borussia Dortmund are one of the most successful clubs in European football now. The club have won eight league championships, five DFB-Pokals, one UEFA Champions League, one Intercontinental Cup, and one UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.
The key to their success lies in their ability to acquire and nurture some of the most exciting talent over the years. Dortmund is a special club that so many have found impossible to detach from, although some found it easier to depart in favour of the supposed silverware guarantee assured by rivals Bayern Munich.
While there’s an undeniable appreciation for their fleeting superstars, such admiration from the club’s passionate Yellow army pales in comparison to the adoration for its loyal long-term servants.
Thus, in this article, we have decided to come up with a list of the 10 best Borussia Dortmund players ever, and to do so, we’ve taken a very specific set of criteria into account, which are as follows:
- Impact
- Longevity
- Statistics
- Trophies
#10 Lars Ricken
Dortmund faithful love their one-club men and Lars Ricken happens to be one of them.
Ricken set a long list of records as a teenager when he became the youngest Dortmund player to play, score, and assist in various competitions – feats that were later broken – however, he delivered perhaps the most iconic moment in the club’s history to secure Dortmund’s sole Champions League success.
Ricken scored 69 times in just over 400 appearances for the club during his 14-year stint at Signal Iduna Park. He was part of on the most successful eras in the club’s history, winning three Bundesliga titles, two DFL SuperCups, one Intercontinental Cup and the 1997 UEFA Champions League.
#9 Stefan Reuter
There have been many great right-backs who’ve had the honour of playing for The Black and Yellow army, however, none typifying the stereotype more than Stefan Reuter, who’d enjoyed spells at Bayern and Juventus before joining BVB in 1992.
A regular starter for the German national team, Reuter was capped by his country 69 times, where he won both 1990 FIFA World Cup and the 1996 European Championships.
The full-back was an ever-present cog in the BVB teams that tasted glory on multiple occasions in the 90s, functioning as the ultimate do-it-all full-back. Reuter played over 300 times for Dortmund, winning three league titles and the 1996/97 Champions League.
#8 Manfred Burgsmüller
Manfred Burgsmüller had to fight his way through some lower division teams before earning a big move to Borussia Dortmund in 1976. Although the striker didn’t taste any silverware during his seven years with the club but was remarkably consistent in front of goal.
Burgsmüller’s lowest scoring league campaign was 14 which was his debut campaign during the 1976/77 season. He broke the 20-goal milestone on four different occasions, peaking in 1980/81 when he scored 27 times. Burgsmüller holds the record for scoring double figure goals for eleven consecutive seasons, a record only bettered by the legendary Gerd Müller.
By the time he departed for FC Nürnberg in 1983, Burgsmüller had scored 158 times for the club and currently sits as their fourth all-time leading goalscorer.
#7 Mats Hummels
Regarded as one of the best defenders in the world, Mats Hummels is a large, consistent, and physically strong player. Known for his powerful tackling and strength in the air, as well as his positional sense, and his ability to read the game and intercept loose balls, which allows him to compensate for his lack of pace.
The German established himself as one of Europe’s best in his position during his first spell and, despite fears that he was over the hill upon his return, Hummels has purred in his twilight vintage. The centre-back has appeared over 500 times in black and yellow across two spells and recently enjoyed a legacy-defining 2023/24 season.
#6 Andreas Möller
Andreas Möller is perhaps one of the most underrated players of his generation. Möller was a talented, versatile, and complete advanced playmaker, who was known for his exhilarating sprinting speed.
Nicknamed “Turbo Möller” – the German possessed a wide range of passing, creativity, vision, intelligence, and technical ability, as well as his agility, reactions, and reading of the enabled him to play first–time killer passes. Andreas Möller enjoyed a glittering career, especially with the national team. The creative midfielder earned 85 caps over an 11-year period, competing at five major tournaments.
Möller claimed eight major honours at Signal Iduna Park, scoring 61 times in 212 appearances. He was also the Bundesliga’s top assist provider in 1995/96 and subsequently named in the Team of the Season.
#5 Alfred Preissler
Alfred Preissler’s legacy at Dortmund speaks for itself. Despite hanging up his boots in 1959, Preissler is still BVB’s leading all-time goalscorer with 177 goals across all competitions. Preissler was the leading marksman for the teams that secured back-to-back Bundesliga titles in 1956 and 1957. The striker played a total of 274 times for the club across two stints and scored 177 goals at a staggering rate.
#4 Michael Zorc
Another one-club man that the Black and Yellow faithful adore. Michael Zorc spent the entirety of his 17-year career with his hometown club and retired in 1998 having notched a club-record 572 appearances and landing himself at third for the most goals scored by a player (159).
A defensive midfielder but with a penchant of scoring crucial goals as well as his expert penalty taking abilities, Zorc was a BVB stalwart who was unflappable from 12 yards. The former BVB sporting director was a tremendous leader, too, and remains Dortmund’s longest-serving and most successful captain, having worn the armband for nine years.
#3 Jürgen Kohler
Regarded by pundits as one of the best defenders of his generation, Kohler was a complete and physically strong centre-back, who was famed for his defensive perception, anticipation, quick reactions, and marking, as well as his tactical awareness.
A national team regular who earned over 100 caps for his country, Jürgen Kohler was a defensive stalwart and one of the finest centre-backs of the 90s. He spent seven years at Dortmund, playing a crucial role on their way to Champions League glory in 1997. In the wake of this triumph, Kohler was named Germany’s Footballer of the Year. He also won two Bundesliga titles, two DFL SuperCups and one Intercontinental Cup.
#2 Marco Reus
Dortmund have possessed their fair share of loyal servants over the years, but none quite boasted the bond and rapport with the Yellow Wall more than Marco Reus.
After returning to the club from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2012 having spent much of his youth career in black and yellow, Reus immediately established himself as a fan favourite.
For 12 years, he was the person everybody looked up to in the dressing room. But there’s a sense of tragedy within Reus’ Dortmund story, however, given all the injury setbacks, the near-misses and cruel departures of adored teammates. Rues left BVB at the end of the 2023/24 season, finishing with 170 goals and second on the all-time list as well as winning two DFB Pokals and two DFL SuperCups.
#1 Matthias Sammer
Known for his exceptional defensive skills, including his ability to read the game, make interceptions, and tackle effectively, Matthias Sammer is regarded as one of the greatest defenders of all time.
Sammer was well-established by the time he signed from Inter and would blossom into one of the best of his generation under Ottmar Hitzfeld’s guidance. Hitzfeld utilised Sammer’s versatility and well-rounded profile to the highest degree. He was used in various roles, although he produced his best work functioning as a sweeper.
During his five-year trophy-laden stint with BVB, Sammer was twice named Germany’s Footballer of the Year and, following a stellar 1996/97 season which culminated in Champions League glory, Sammer became the first defender in 20 years to win the Ballon d’Or.
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