Ranking the 20 Best Bundesliga Players of 2014
With the turn of the year in just a few days' time, it would seem best to now take a moment to reflect upon the year that we've just had in the German Bundesliga.
Sure, the World Cup and the manner in which the German national team won the ultimate prize in Brazil this summer will always take precedence, but it is worth noting just how many exceptional players plied their trade in the domestic game, too.
As such, we have compiled a list—a top 20, if you will—of the best players based on form and talent from January 2014 right through to the present day. Take a look, and let us know if you agree or disagree in the comments below.
Disclaimer: This list was put together with the specific intention of judging each player on their domestic form alone. World Cup, international and European Champions League form was not considered and as such would have affected the order of the list.
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20: Karim Bellarabi
No player has gone from zero to hero in 2014 quite like Karim Bellarabi. Once regarded as a bit-part player at relegated Eintracht Braunschweig, Bellarabi has since returned to Bayer Leverkusen, and he has become a star under new coach Roger Schmidt. He may have only played 17 relevant games in 2014, but he's managed to score eight and dish out four assists in that time.
19: Juan Bernat
Another new entry that has only just popped onto the Bundesliga radar is new Bayern Munich signing Juan Bernat. As David Alaba has continued his quest to become a defensive midfielder, Bernat has happily taken to his former left-back position and thrived. The young Spaniard may not have been around for too long, but what a splash he has already made in German football.
18: Lars Bender
The work of a defensive midfielder is never done—or indeed ever fully appreciated—as we consider just what Lars Bender has done for Bayer Leverkusen over the past 12 months. Perhaps the lesser known of the Bender twins, Lars has outshone his brother in every aspect this year from the heart of the Factory Squad's midfield. Tough, obscenely athletic and exceptional in reading passes, this 25-year-old has strengthened his claims to being one of the best defensive midfielders in the Bundesliga today.
17: Marco Reus
Borussia Dortmund's favoured son only just makes our list due to the amount of time he has spent out injured over the course of 2014. Despite that, Reus still managed to put up some exceptional performances whenever he could as well as bag a tidy amount of goals in no time at all. More game time next year and he'll be flying back up the list.
16: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
Flying the flag for the Royal Blues of Schalke, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar makes the top 20 for the same reason he always does: goals. The Dutch striker managed to rack up 17 goals in 32 appearances over the course of 2014—a tally that very few in the Bundesliga could even dream of matching.
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15: Granit Xhaka
Tireless, efficient and exceptionally devoted to the Borussia Monchengladbach cause, Granit Xhaka reached the heights of No. 15 through the all-round game he brings to the Foals each week. He's a central midfielder who can tackle and score in equal measure.
14: Xabi Alonso
Although Xabi Alonso has only been playing in the German Bundesliga for a few months, he has already confirmed his spot as one of the league's best players. Real Madrid were clearly fools to give him up so readily, as he confidently commands his new Bayern midfield.
13: Thomas Muller
Although Thomas Muller had an exceptional summer with Germany, the irregular forward hasn't been at his very best under manager Pep Guardiola. Yet, with a bag full of goals from January to now, he still makes our list, if not slightly lower than hoped.
12: Max Kruse
In the opposite manner to Muller, Max Kruse has truly lit up the domestic league despite failing to reach such heights with Germany. The Gladbach striker was exceptional in the latter stages of last season's campaign and has continued his fine habit of scoring and assisting in equal measure in this year's tournament, too.
11: David Alaba
If not for missing the last seven games of 2014, David Alaba would undoubtedly have been much higher on this list. The Austrian international has come to be one of Guardiola's most favoured players at Bayern, and it has shown with his exceptional form in defence, midfield and attack throughout the year.
10: Robert Lewandowski
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To kick off our top 10, we begin with a striker who has proven himself as quite the prolific goalscorer for the Bundesliga's two biggest clubs over 2014.
Robert Lewandowski, the Polish international who arrived in German as a nobody but has since defined himself as one of the best forwards in world football, had yet another impressive year at Dortmund and then Bayern.
Over the course of 2014, Lewandowski has scored 16 goals in 31 appearances for both clubs—an impressive achievement when we first consider the turmoil Dortmund were under last season and then of course his ability to hit the ground running at Bayern.
9: Naldo
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Iconic in his sheer size and tendency to thump a set piece in from any spot on the pitch, Wolfsburg central defender Naldo takes up the spot of No. 9.
The Brazilian defender has been one of the most defining attributes for the Wolves' turn in form late last season, which saw the club push from as low as 13th in the league right up to a commendable fifth-place finish in May.
This new season has seen Dieter Hecking's side only continue such a rise and through Naldo's efforts at the back have managed to keep tabs on Bayern as they sit in second place.
8: Mario Gotze
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Well regarded as the darling of German football (at least by one set of fans) Bayern star Mario Gotze has had a truly fantastic year.
Even by his standards, 2014 proved to be quite possibly his most prolific ever with 13 goals and seven assists in 16 Bundesliga games.
Although the 22-year-old may not get the same amount of time on the pitch and therefore command as much influence as players higher up on the list, Gotze was quite simply one of the best attacking players in the Bundesliga throughout 2014.
7: Christoph Kramer
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Our highest entry for the Foals is Christoph Kramer—Gladbach's central midfield rock for the past 12 months and one of the most exciting talents in German football today.
Although 2014 may be remembered for his surprised inclusion in the World Cup final, only to be substituted off with a concussion, the 23-year-old had long since proven himself in the Bundesliga with some fine performances for Gladbach.
Although Lucien Favre's side failed to reach the Champions League spots in May, Kramer was undoubtedly one of the best defensive midfielders in the league that season and has continued his fine form in this current campaign.
6: Jerome Boateng
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It would be safe to say that no player at Bayern has improved so drastically over the past 12 months quite like Jerome Boateng.
The former Manchester City flop has since found his place under Guardiola and has truly thrived as the ball-playing centre-back that his new coach so desperately desires.
Such a rise has in turn combated the demise of team-mate Dante and the injuries to Javi Martinez and Holger Badstuber perfectly and put Boateng above other international challengers, such as Mats Hummels and (formerly) Per Mertesacker.
5: Ricardo Rodriguez
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Ricardo Rodriguez is the best left-back outside of Munich in the Bundesliga today. Strong, quick, composed in possession and while marking and above all an incredibly intelligent player, this Swiss international has long been considered a star at Wolfsburg.
Often linked with all sorts of moves out of Germany to some of the biggest clubs around the world, this defender is well regarded among his peers at Wolfsburg for what he brings to the side.
At left-back, Rodriguez has scored five goals and created eight assists in 28 league games in 2014 alone. He may not be the very best full-back in the Bundesliga, but he's certainly the most prolific.
4: Roberto Firmino
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As a man who so blatantly transcends the very club he's playing for, Roberto Firmino firmly deserves his place among the stars of the Bundesliga in our 2014 list.
At just 23 years old, this Brazilian playmaker has long carried the burden of creating and scoring goals for Hoffenheim and dragging them up the league table whenever he can.
Firmino scored eight goals and created six assists from January onwards in last season's run. Add to that another four goals and six assists already this season and you have a quality player on your hands.
3: Manuel Neuer
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Big events occur within the world of football every day. From season to season, most fans can chart the progress of their side like a well-versed history book or a catalogue of scenarios by different things that happen throughout the campaign.
Yet, very rarely we are given the opportunity to experience history firsthand, which is exactly what is happening right now at Bayern. Manuel Neuer transformed the very definition of what a goalkeeper is over 2014, and he did it before our very eyes.
Although Bayern may have little use for a goalkeeper at times in the Bundesliga, Neuer proved himself over the past 12 months as undoubtedly the best in his field in Germany and across the world. He's perhaps not the best player at Bayern at this moment in time, but he's still a very special player this year.
2: Kevin De Bruyne
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If we were to pick one playmaker above all else in 2014, it would undoubtedly be Kevin De Bruyne. Forget Gotze, forget Reus; nobody has matched the talent and the consistency of this Belgian wonderkid and what he's achieved at Wolfsburg over the past 12 months.
Despite only arriving in January from Chelsea, the 23-year-old reacquainted himself with the Bundesliga in a matter of minutes and quickly established himself as the star Wolfsburg paid top dollar for.
De Bruyne has scored six goals and has contributed an incredible 16 assists in 33 Bundesliga appearances over the course of 2014, comfortably putting him second in our list.
1: Arjen Robben
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Taking top spot for 2014 is the Dutchman Arjen Robben, who has amassed an incredible amount of success between January and December of this year.
Arguably Bayern's most important, if not most prolific player in this current season, Robben has simply continued the excellent run of form that concluded another successful campaign for the club back in May.
This Dutch winger is Bayern's most important player right now, and he's shown us why countless times over the past 12 months.
Stats via Transfermarkt unless otherwise noted.
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