In a bold and controversial annual vote conducted by Kicker magazine, Bundesliga players have expressed their opinions on the standout performers and disappointments of the football season. The results are sure to spark heated debates among fans and experts alike. A total of 252 players participated in the vote, offering their thoughts on various categories such as player of the season, biggest disappointment, and best manager in the world.
Despite being hailed as the Bundesliga player of the season by fans, experts, and clubs, one player fell short of winning the top gong in the vote conducted by his fellow players. This talented individual, who secured a lucrative £113m move to Real Madrid, ended up in second place. Surprisingly, it was Eintracht Frankfurt striker Randal Kolo Muani, a player currently being pursued by Manchester United, who emerged as the winner. Muani captured 24.2% of the vote, comfortably surpassing Jude Bellingham’s 17.5%. Muani’s achievement can be attributed to his impressive record of 23 goals in 45 games this season, alongside his contributions in helping Frankfurt reach the DFB-Pokal final, where they unfortunately lost 2-0 to RB Leipzig.
Following Muani in the rankings is Werder Bremen forward Niclas Fullkrug, claiming the third position. A notable mention goes to former West Ham player Sebastien Haller, who overcame testicular cancer and delivered an outstanding performance by scoring nine goals for Borussia Dortmund. Haller secured a commendable fourth place. It is worth noting that Bayern Munich players dominated four of the top five positions in the most disappointing player of the season category, despite their success in winning the title. Sadio Mane, the former Liverpool star, faced harsh criticism as 41.7% of the players designated him as the biggest disappointment. Mane, who currently earns £250,000 per week, only managed to score seven Bundesliga goals since joining from Anfield for approximately £35 million last summer. Additionally, Mane’s altercation with his teammate Leroy Sane, resulting in a fine equivalent to over a week’s wages, and his struggles to adapt further intensified the disappointment surrounding his performance. Leroy Sane himself was ranked as the fourth biggest disappointment, while Joshua Kimmich and Anthony Modeste claimed the second and third spots, respectively.
A hint of jealousy might have played a role in the rankings, considering that seven out of the nine players designated as the biggest flops belong to Bayern Munich or Borussia Dortmund, the top two teams in the league. Transitioning to the managerial aspect, Julian Nagelsmann was harshly criticized as the “biggest loser” after being sacked by Bayern Munich while on a skiing holiday. His replacement, former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel, faced his fair share of criticism despite leading Bayern to their tenth consecutive league title. Tuchel was ranked as the third biggest loser due to his mixed record, winning only half of his 12 games and losing a third of them. The fifth position for biggest loser was awarded to Daniel Farke, who was dismissed as the Borussia Monchengladbach manager following a tenth-place finish. Urs Fischer of Union Berlin claimed the well-deserved title of “biggest winner” for steering the club towards their first-ever Champions League qualification. Xabi Alonso, the former Liverpool player, secured the second position after guiding Bayer Leverkusen to a sixth-place finish.
The vote was not limited to Bundesliga players, as they also shared their opinions on the leading figures in world football. Thibaut Courtois emerged as the best goalkeeper, decisively capturing 45.6% of the vote, followed by Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Ederson. Surprisingly, Alisson, the talented Liverpool custodian, did not make it into the top five. The best attackers were chosen as Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, and Kevin de Bruyne. Haaland received over half of the votes, solidifying his reputation as City’s formidable goal-scorer. Lionel Messi’s ranking plummeted to sixth place, trailing behind Vinicius Junior and Ballon d’Or recipient Karim Benzema. It is noteworthy that Haaland’s rise has been meteoric, as he wasn’t even featured in the top seven last year.
Pep Guardiola dominated the vote for the best manager with close to 60% of the ballots in his favor. Carlo Ancelotti and Jurgen Klopp had to settle for the second and third positions, respectively. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of this vote is that over 57% of players believe that the Bundesliga is losing touch with Europe’s top leagues, indicating a sense of diminished confidence within the German league. It is worth mentioning that the Bundesliga has recently slipped to the fourth position in UEFA’s league coefficient rankings after occupying the top spot in 2017.
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