The German national team did not have a great World Cup 2022 as they crashed out in the group stage for the second straight time.
However, a handful of the Bundesliga’s stars – including arguably two of the most exciting midfield prospects in all of Europe – shone bright in Qatar as they showed just how talented the German league is.
So read on below as SBOTOP lists down the Bundesliga’s top five performers at the recently concluded World Cup 2022.
Josko Gvardiol, RB Leipzig/Croatia
Croatia defied the World Cup 2022 odds yet again with another fantastic campaign that saw them finish in third place. And while their excellent midfield and goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic have grabbed most of the headlines, young defender Josko Gvardiol also deserves a lot of plaudits.
The 20-year-old RB Leipzig centre-back showed why he is among the most promising defender prospects in Europe with a fantastic performance in Qatar. He led the tournament by a wide margin in clearances (37) and was tied for second in interceptions (11).
Gvardiol was the only outfield player to play all 690 minutes of Croatia’s World Cup 2022 campaign, and aside from getting turned inside out by Lionel Messi in Argentina’s third goal in the semi-finals, he was an absolute rock at the back.
Gvardiol had already been linked with a big-money move prior to the World Cup, and with his tremendous showing in Qatar, it’s likely not going to be long before he moves on from Leipzig and the Bundesliga.
Dayot Upamecano, Bayern Munich/France
With Presnel Kimpembe out injured, Didier Deschamps turned to Upamecano to partner Raphael Varane at the heart of France’s defence. It was a big step up for Upamecano, who had just seven caps to his name before the start of the World Cup.
But the Bayern Munich defender did a fine job overall to help France return to the World Cup final. He started in five of the team’s seven games and would have started one more had he not fallen ill and missed the semi-final against Morocco.
With both Manuel Neuer and Lucas Hernandez out for the year, Bayern fans will be hoping Upamecano can carry over that good form to the Bundesliga and be a stalwart in their defence.
Niclas Fullkrug, Werder Bremen/Germany
Germany’s striker options for World Cup 2022 were so limited that Hansi Flick had to pick a teenager (Youssoufa Moukoko) as well as 29-year-old Niclas Fullkrug, both of whom hadn’t earned a single cap before their World Cup warm-up against Oman in November.
To Fullkrug’s credit, he had earned his call-up after scoring 10 goals with Werder Bremen, tied for second in the Bundesliga. And with Germany needing to find late goals in all three group games, he excelled at his role of super sub. He scored a late equaliser to hold Spain to a 1-1 draw, and he had a goal and an assist in their 4-2 win over Costa Rica, which wasn’t enough to see them through.
Fullkrug’s role in the national team moving forward isn’t likely to progress past impact sub, but that could be a role he could make his own if he continues to be picked.
Jamal Musiala, Bayern Munich/Germany
Without a doubt, one of the bright spots in what was another disappointing World Cup campaign for Germany was the emergence of Jamal Musiala. The 19-year-old Bayern Munich star showed that form that made him arguably the best player in the Bundesliga for the first 15 games of the season on the biggest stage of all.
Granted, Musiala did not score and had just one assist in three games, but he was hands down Germany’s main man in terms of providing World Cup 2022 highlights. He was tied for the team lead with 12 shots, including two that hit the woodwork against Costa Rica. He also had 22 shot-creating actions, which led the team and was fourth in the tournament behind only Mbappe, Messi and Griezmann.
Musiala is a legit superstar in the making and could very well be among the best players in Europe by the time of the next major tournament, Euro 2024, which Germany will be hosting.
Jude Bellingham, Borussia Dortmund/England
Had Argentina not won the World Cup 2022, Jude Bellingham might very well have won the FIFA Young Player Award over eventual winner Enzo Fernandez. The Borussia Dortmund midfielder was absolutely brilliant in his first major international tournament for England as he contributed in just about every aspect of the game.
He played multiple positions, helped progress the ball, got forward and had shots, created opportunities for teammates, and did more than his fair share of work defensively. Had Jordan Pickford been sent off or injured, Bellingham likely would’ve done well deputising in goal as well.
But this shouldn’t be surprising for anyone who has watched Bellingham play for Borussia Dortmund this season. At just 19 years old, not only has he developed into a tremendous all-around player, but he has also quickly matured into one of the leaders of the BVB, even captaining the side in the absence of Marco Reus.
It seems like just a matter of time before Bellingham returns to England and plays for one of the Premier League giants, but for the time being, the Bundesliga can still boast having one of the breakout stars of World Cup 2022.
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