Bayern Munich's best ever XI ... The first midfielder 😎 | OneFootball

With the football on hold at the moment, we’ve been thinking about who gets in Bayern Munich’s all-time XI.

Yesterday we completed our back four. Today we’re choosing the first of three midfielders.

Here are the nominees …

3rd – Michael Ballack

Ballack was the star of the 2002 World Cup, scoring the only goal in the quarter-final and semi-final to help Germany progress to the final.

This earned the attacking midfielder a €12m move to Bayern Munich, where he became one of the hottest properties in Europe.

In four seasons in Munich, Ballack won the league and cup double three times – scoring 62 times in 157 appearances.

2nd – Paul Breitner

Breitner has already appeared in this countdown as a nominee for full-back.

It’s a true testament to the ability of the man that he can be considered one of Bayern Munich’s greatest players in two different positions.

Breitner returned from his escapades with Real Madrid and Eintracht Frankfurt in 1977 and carried on where he left off. He developed a perfect understanding with Karl-Heinz Rummenigge which led to Bayern being known as ‘FC Breitnigge’ in the late 70’s.

Five league titles and one European Cup. A phenomenal player.

And the winner is … Lothar Matthäus

Lothar Matthäus was another who flourished at Bayern in two different positions.

In his first spell in Bavaria from 1984-1988, Matthäus was an energetic box-to-box midfielder with a rasper of a shot mixed with an incredible eye for a pass.

The European Cup passed him by during his time in Germany after the 1987 loss to FC Porto in the final, but he did pick up three Bundesliga titles.

Matthäus joined Inter Milan but did return to Munich in 1992 re-invented as a sweeper.

His Bayern career lasted another eight years with 400 appearances, 19 titles won and 100 goals overall.

The midfielder also captained Germany to the 1990 World Cup, which helped him pick up the Ballon d’Or that year.

A true club and country legend.

Here’s how the team is looking so far …

GK: Oliver Kahn RB: Philipp Lahm LB: David Alaba CB: Klaus Augenthaler CB: Franz Beckenbauer CM: Lothar Matthäus

Check back tomorrow when we will be choosing the second midfielder!