Defence
Left Back – Bixente Lizarazu (France)
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When talking about great left-backs, the name Bixente Lizarazu often gets overlooked considering the fact that he plied his trade in the same era as Roberto Carlos and Paolo Maldini. Still, no one can take away from the fact that he was an important member of France’s golden generation which went on to win the 1998 FIFA World Cup and 2000 European Championship.
His runs, crosses and tackles helped Bayern Munich win the UCL after a 25-year hiatus. Apart from this, he was instrumental in their five Bundesliga and five DFB Pokal victories during his eight seasons at Munich. Lizarazu is one of the two non-German players who have been inducted into the Bayern Munich Hall of Fame and therefore he has been chosen as the left-back of this team.
Honourable Mentions: David Alaba (Austria), Hasan Salihamidzic (Bosnia & Herzegovina)
Centre Back – Lucio (Brazil)
Brazilian defender Lucio was the undisputed first choice for the centre back slot despite the fact that he stayed at the club for only five seasons. A man who nearly perfected the art of tackling, marking and heading, he could undoubtedly be considered the greatest South American centre back of the 21st century.
Although he had already made a name for himself as a part of the Brazilian national team that won the 2002 World Cup, it was at Bayer Leverkusen that Lucio's impressive displays drew the attention of top European clubs.
From there, he moved to Bayern Munich, where he won three Bundesliga titles and three DFB Pokal cups. Lucio's natural leadership qualities, excellent technical skills and tenacious attitude earn him a place on this team.
Honourable Mentions: Daniel van Buyten (Belgium), Peter Pumm (Austria)
Centre Back – Samuel Kuffour (Ghana)
The only African footballer on this list, Kuffour will forever be remembered for beating the ground in frustration after Bayern’s 1999 UEFA Champions League final loss to Manchester United, a gesture that endeared him to Bayern supporters.
Kuffour joined Bayern Munich in 1993 at the age of 17 and stayed at the club for 11 seasons. His best performance came during the 2000-2001 season when he was an integral part of the Bayern Munich team that won the 2001 UCL title; he scored the winning goal in the 2001 Intercontinental Cup.
He won a host of other titles with Bayern aside from earning the glory of being the youngest defender to score in a Champions League match and making 72 Champions League appearances, a record for an African defender.
During his illustrious career, Kuffour earned several individual titles, including the BBC African Footballer of the Year award. He was also on the list of 30 Best African players of all time. But it's the heart and passion that he poured into the game, into every tackle he made, into every header he elevated towards, into everything that he did for his team, that earns him a place on this team.
Honourable Mentions: Martin Demichelis (Argentina), Robert Kovac (Croatia)
Right Back – Willy Sagnol (France)
Unlike some of the other positions in the starting 11, choosing a right back wasn’t an easy task considering the fact that the ones that missed out included names like Johnny Hansen, who alongside Franz Beckenbauer and Sepp Maier, won three consecutive European Cups, and Jorginho, who was a part of the 1994 WC winning Brazil squad. Yet, it’s the Frenchman Willy Sagnol who has been given this spot due to his decade-long service to the club.
Sagnol first came into the limelight as a part of Jean Tigana’s Monaco side which famously dumped Manchester United out of the Champions League in 1998. He joined Bayern Munich in 2000 and remained an integral part of the side for the next eight seasons.
Sagnol’s excellent crossing ability made him a key player in Bayern’s attacking play. Unfortunately, because of continuous trouble with his Achilles tendon, he had to end his football career on 1st February 2009. In his illustrious career, he managed to win a total of 13 trophies with Bayern.
Honourable Mentions: Johnny Hansen (Denmark), Jorginho (Brazil)
