As Die Mannschaft gear up to play England in Berlin on Saturday (20:45 CET), we're on the hunt for the best German to have graced the Premier League in its 24-year history. You have your chance to vote for your favourite on our Facebook page, with the poll split into two categories. The first consists of retired players, with the second focusing on those still plying their trade, whether in England or now elsewhere. The winner of each category will then be pitted against each other to decide who the best German in EPL history is. To give you some help choosing, we take you through some of the big names, from long-time servants, to top scorers.
Huth shining with title-chasing Leicester
45 German players have played in the English Premier League to date. The record appearance holder is Robert Huth, who has featured 286 times for Chelsea, Middlesbrough, Stoke City and currently Leicester City, and sensationally finds himself on course to win the title with the Foxes this season. The 1.91-metre tall central defender is looking for his third winner's medal, having previously lifted the Premier League trophy with Chelsea back in 2005 and 2006.
Huth took over Dietmar Hamann as the record holder earlier this campaign. The former Germany international played in 268 Premier League matches for Manchester City, Liverpool and Newcastle United. His most successful spell came at Anfield, as he helped the Reds to a Champions League title in 2005, plus a UEFA Cup in 2001 and FA Cups in both 2001 and 2006.
Arsenal the German hub
Behind Hamann is an Arsenal duo. Jens Lehmann made 148 EPL appearances between 2003 and 2011. He won the title with the Gunners in 2004, followed by an FA Cup win in 2005. Per Mertesacker is just two games short of equalling the tally of his former Germany teammate. The centre back’s side look set to qualify for their 19th successive Champions League campaign, but they may well end this campaign without any silverware.
The top five is rounded off by Moritz Volz, who made 125 appearances for Fulham. He is followed by former Germany internationals Thomas Hitzlsperger (117 games for Aston Villa, West Ham and Everton), Steffen Freund (116 games for Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester), Michael Ballack (105 games for Chelsea), Uwe Rösler (102 games for Manchester City and Southampton) and Christian Ziege (92 games for Tottenham, Middlesbrough and Liverpool). Just outside the top ten is Mesut Özil. The current Arsenal star has 76 Premier League appearances under his belt to date.
World and European Champions aplenty
Other big-name Germans to have featured in the top flight of English football include World Champions Lukas Podolski (60 games for Arsenal), Karl-Heinz Riedle (60 games for Liverpool), Jürgen Klinsmann (56 games for Tottenham), André Schürrle (44 games for Chelsea), Bastian Schweinsteiger (currently 18 games for Man United), Jérôme Boateng (16 games for Man City) and European Champions Thomas Helmer (2 games for Sunderland), Fredi Bobic (15 games for Bolton Wanderers) and Markus Babbel (67 games for Liverpool and Blackburn Rovers). There are also the likes of Emre Can (55 games for Liverpool), Michael Tarnat (32 games for Man City) and Lewis Holtby (38 games for Tottenham and Fulham).
The title of the top-scoring German in Premier League history is one shared between Klinsmann and Rösler, with 29 goals each. Robert Huth is next having found the net 19 times, the same amount as Podolski. After them it’s Ballack (16), Ziege (15), Özil (14), Hamann (13), Schürrle, Riedle (11 each) and Hitzlsperger (10). The king of assists, by a long way, is Mesut Özil. The Germany playmaker has set up 34 goals for Arsenal so far. Michael Ballack and Lukas Podolski are next with 14 assists each, while Robert Huth has helped create ten goals.
All stats accurate as of 23rd March 2016
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As Die Mannschaft gear up to play England in Berlin on Saturday (20:45 CET), we're on the hunt for the best German to have graced the Premier League in its 24-year history. You have your chance to vote for your favourite on our Facebook page, with the poll split into two categories. The first consists of retired players, with the second focusing on those still plying their trade, whether in England or now elsewhere. The winner of each category will then be pitted against each other to decide who the best German in EPL history is. To give you some help choosing, we take you through some of the big names, from long-time servants, to top scorers.
Huth shining with title-chasing Leicester
45 German players have played in the English Premier League to date. The record appearance holder is Robert Huth, who has featured 286 times for Chelsea, Middlesbrough, Stoke City and currently Leicester City, and sensationally finds himself on course to win the title with the Foxes this season. The 1.91-metre tall central defender is looking for his third winner's medal, having previously lifted the Premier League trophy with Chelsea back in 2005 and 2006.
Huth took over Dietmar Hamann as the record holder earlier this campaign. The former Germany international played in 268 Premier League matches for Manchester City, Liverpool and Newcastle United. His most successful spell came at Anfield, as he helped the Reds to a Champions League title in 2005, plus a UEFA Cup in 2001 and FA Cups in both 2001 and 2006.
Arsenal the German hub
Behind Hamann is an Arsenal duo. Jens Lehmann made 148 EPL appearances between 2003 and 2011. He won the title with the Gunners in 2004, followed by an FA Cup win in 2005. Per Mertesacker is just two games short of equalling the tally of his former Germany teammate. The centre back’s side look set to qualify for their 19th successive Champions League campaign, but they may well end this campaign without any silverware.
The top five is rounded off by Moritz Volz, who made 125 appearances for Fulham. He is followed by former Germany internationals Thomas Hitzlsperger (117 games for Aston Villa, West Ham and Everton), Steffen Freund (116 games for Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester), Michael Ballack (105 games for Chelsea), Uwe Rösler (102 games for Manchester City and Southampton) and Christian Ziege (92 games for Tottenham, Middlesbrough and Liverpool). Just outside the top ten is Mesut Özil. The current Arsenal star has 76 Premier League appearances under his belt to date.
World and European Champions aplenty
Other big-name Germans to have featured in the top flight of English football include World Champions Lukas Podolski (60 games for Arsenal), Karl-Heinz Riedle (60 games for Liverpool), Jürgen Klinsmann (56 games for Tottenham), André Schürrle (44 games for Chelsea), Bastian Schweinsteiger (currently 18 games for Man United), Jérôme Boateng (16 games for Man City) and European Champions Thomas Helmer (2 games for Sunderland), Fredi Bobic (15 games for Bolton Wanderers) and Markus Babbel (67 games for Liverpool and Blackburn Rovers). There are also the likes of Emre Can (55 games for Liverpool), Michael Tarnat (32 games for Man City) and Lewis Holtby (38 games for Tottenham and Fulham).
The title of the top-scoring German in Premier League history is one shared between Klinsmann and Rösler, with 29 goals each. Robert Huth is next having found the net 19 times, the same amount as Podolski. After them it’s Ballack (16), Ziege (15), Özil (14), Hamann (13), Schürrle, Riedle (11 each) and Hitzlsperger (10). The king of assists, by a long way, is Mesut Özil. The Germany playmaker has set up 34 goals for Arsenal so far. Michael Ballack and Lukas Podolski are next with 14 assists each, while Robert Huth has helped create ten goals.
All stats accurate as of 23rd March 2016
