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Over the years, several top midfielders from the Bundesliga have moved abroad to accept more lucrative offers. However, this hasn't always been the case.
The Bundesliga produced some of the best midfielders in the world towards the turn of the century. Midfielders scoring goals is always a sight to behold, and Germany have had their fair share of quality goal-scorers.
Without further ado, we take a look at the top five all-time goal-scoring midfielders in the Bundesliga.
#5 Lothar Matthaus
Bayern Munich legend Lothar Matthaus won nearly everything in club and international football and was a massively influential player for both club and country.
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Matthaus started his club career at Borussia Monchengladbach and then moved to Bayern Munich in 1988. Regarded as one of the greatest midfielders to have graced the game, Matthaus’ box-to-box ability perhaps shaped a generation of German midfielders in the 1980s and 1990s.
Der Panzer had a lethal right foot and scored several worldies in the Bundesliga, and his positional sense in midfield and tacking ability made him a complete midfielder.
Matthaus scored a total of 121 goals in just 464 games as a central midfielder in the Bundesliga, and is fifth on our list.
#4 Karl Allgower
Like Matthaus, Karl Allgower was known for his marauding forward forays from his own half. Allgower’s best spell came at VfB Stuttgart, with whom he lifted the Bundesliga title in the 1983-84 season.
His personal best campaign in the German top flight came during the 1982-83 season. He scored 21 goals in just 33 games despite playing predominantly as a central midfielder.
Allgower matched his goal return three seasons later, but it wasn’t enough for Stuttgart to challenge Bayern Munich for the title.
It’s unfortunate that not a lot of fans know about the quality of Allgower. The German team had so many good midfielders during the 1980s that Allgower did not get to play too many games for the national team.
Allgower’s tally of 129 goals in 338 games in the Bundesliga earns him a place on our list.
#3 Michael Zorc - 130 goals
Michael Zorc is one of the more recognizable names on our list because his achievements with Borussia Dortmund came not so long ago.
Zorc, who is currently serving as the Sporting Director at Borussia Dortmund, was one of the best defensive midfielders in the 1980s and 1990s, and he scored some goals as well.
A lot of Zorc’s goals came from the penalty spot, but that shouldn’t take away the fact that he was excellent at going forward when he had the chance. He played a key role for Borussia Dortmund when they won back-to-back Bundesliga titles in 1995 and 1996, and their only Champions League in 1997.
The defensive midfielder finished his career with 130 goals in 462 games and was a one-club man having only played for Borussia Dortmund.
#2 Marco Reus - 135 goals
Marco Reus is the only player on the list who is still active. The Borussia Dortmund attacking midfielder has always been prolific in front of goal.
Capable of playing anywhere across the front three, Reus has been used in a more central role in the last few seasons. After all, Borussia Dortmund have had no shortage of talented wingers and forwards.
After bursting on to the scene with Borussia Monchengladbach, Reus earned a move back to Signal Iduna Park in 2012. The moment felt sweeter considering he was let go by his boyhood club as a teenager.
Reus has scored 135 goals in 311 games combined for Borussia Monchengladbach and Borussia Dortmund, and has a minute-per-goal ratio of 181.
#1 Bernd Nickel - 138 goals
Eintracht Frankfurt legend Bernd Nickel is a player not may have heard of because he plied his football way back in the late 1960s.
Nickel played as a number 10 for Frankfurt, and was one of the most creative players in a side that won the Pokal three times and lifted the UEFA Cup in 1980.
Known as Doktor Hammer because of his ability to smash the ball in from distance, Nickel had impeccable technique and scored numerous goals from his deep position.
One of the most extraordinary feats Bernd Nickel has ever achieved is scoring goals direct from corners and from all four sides of the pitch - a feat that perhaps will never be matched.
