With the German national team winning four World Cups, it is fair to say they have had their fair share of brilliant players.
The likes of Lothar Matthaus, Miroslav Klose, Gerd Muller, Philipp Lahm, Thomas Muller and Rudi Voller have all shone on the international stage for their country, but none of them have ever played in the Premier League.
Over 60 German nationals have plied their trade in England’s top division, and we take a look at the most successful.
Mesut Ozil
This one may outrage a few readers, but Ozil’s stats during his time in England were superb.
The 33-year-old is now playing in Turkey for Fenerbahce, but he made over 180 appearances for Arsenal during an eight-year spell in the Premier League.
Ozil won three FA Cup medals during his time with the Gunners, while he has more goals and assists than any other German player in Premier League history.
During his time in North London, he created 54 goals for his team-mates which is nearly double that of Leroy Sane’s 28 assists.
Michael Ballack
Ballack came to the Premier League towards the end of his career, and he had already become a star in the Bundesliga beforehand.
The former Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich ace decided to join Chelsea in 2006, and he made over 100 appearances for them before returning to Leverkusen.
Ballack won one Premier League title in 2010, while he also picked up three FA Cups and a League Cup before he decided to move onto pastures new.
He was a dynamic midfielder during his playing days, and Chelsea fans will always look back on his time at the club fondly.
Jurgen Klinsmann
Klinsmann was considered one of Germany’s best strikers during the 1990s, and he scored in all six major tournaments he played in, from Euro 1988 to the 1998 World Cup.
In 2004, he was named in the FIFA 100 list of the “125 Greatest Living Footballers”, but he only spent time with one club in England – Tottenham Hotspur.
Klinsmann only spent the 1994-1995 season with Spurs, but he did return on loan in 1997 for a brief period.
His 29 goals put him second behind Ozil in the German standings, while he also deserves to make the shortlist for his iconic celebration.
Robert Huth
The powerful Germany international played all of his career in the Premier League, which is a first on our shortlist.
Huth was a typical no-nonsense centre-back, but he has a trophy cabinet to be proud of, winning two titles with Chelsea before the iconic success under Claudio Ranieri at Leicester City.
As well as his trophy haul, Huth has made more appearances than any other German with 322, a feat that might not be beaten for years to come.
Jens Lehmann
Another controversial choice in terms of his overall performance, but for one season, Lehmann was in inspired form for Arsenal.
He was part of the ‘Invincibles’ as Arsenal avoided defeat for an entire campaign. With that in mind, it is pretty easy to include Lehmann, but his second spell at the club was a disappointment, and he made just one appearance in 2011.
Lehmann won one league title and one FA Cup during his Premier League playing days, but his name will be forever etched in the record books thanks to his performances during the 2003-04 season.
