Ranking Germany's 5 greatest footballers of the 21st century 

#3 Manuel Neuer

Manuel Neuer shouting instructions at defenders during a game for Germany

Manuel Peter Neuer was born in Gelsenkirchen, West Germany, in 1986. He came through the ranks at Schalke 04 before making his senior debut for them in 2004. Bayern Munich were impressed with the German shot-stopper, and signed him seven years later. He has been with the Bavarian club since then.

Neuer has made 717 club appearances, and kept 331 clean sheets. He has conceded 598 goals during this period. The custodian has won nine Bundesliga titles, six DFB-Pokal, six DFL-Supercup, two FIFA Club World Cup and two UEFA Champions League titles.

With Germany, Neuer won the U-21 European Championship in 2009 and the FIFA World Cup in 2014. He was awarded the Golden Glove at the FIFA World Cup in 2014.

The German is unique in his own right, and is often credited with making the 'sweeper-keeper' position mainstream. One can often find Neuer not too far from his centre-backs, and sometimes even near the halfway line.

You can see his positioning in the image below:

Neuer still plays for Bayern Munich, who are going into Christmas top of the Bundesliga table yet again.

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#2 Philipp Lahm

Philipp Lahm is one of the most successful German defenders to play the game/

Philipp Lahm was born in Munich, West Germany, in 1983. He came through the ranks at Bayern Munich's youth academy before debuting for their senior team in 2001. Lahm spent all his career at Bayern, bar two years between 2003-05 when he was on loan at Stuttgart.

The German played 652 club games, scoring 22 goals and providing 77 assists. What's truly incredible about Lahm is that he ended his career without ever getting shown a red card, despite playing as a defender.

Lahm played 113 games for Germany, scoring five goals and assisting 17. He captained a ruthless German team to the 2014 FIFA World Cup title.

The German won eight Bundesliga titles, six DFB-Pokal, three DFL Supercup, one FIFA Club World Cup and one UEFA Champions League.

Lahm announced his retirement from international football soon after Germany's triumph at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He retired from club football three years later.

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#1 Thomas Muller

Thomas Muller is the most underrated German player on the planet.

Thomas Muller was born in Weilheim in Oberbayern, West Germany, in 1989. He came through the ranks at Bayern Munich, where he made his senior debut in 2008. He has since played for the Bavarian giants, and has been one of their most underrated stars.

Muller has scored 222 goals and provided 254 assists in 608 games for Bayern Munich. He has won ten Bundesliga titles, six DFB-Pokal, seven DFL-Supercups, two FIFA Club World Cup and two UEFA Champions League titles. He also won the 2014 FIFA World Cup with Germany.

Recently, Muller provided his 13th assist of the season, breaking his own record for most assists halfway through a Bundesliga season.

Thomas Muller has an incredible record for Germany, playing 110 games, scoring 42 goals and providing 40 assists. He is joint-eighth in the team's all-time scoring list, tied with Michael Ballack.

Muller is still playing for Bayern Munich, where he is looking to win another league and continental title.