From 1982 to 2022, every single FIFA World Cup Final featured at least one Bayern Munich player. That streak came to an end in 2026, as France lost to Spain and England lost to Argentina in the semifinals. However, that doesn’t mean that Bayern didn’t have plenty of representation in the World Cup.
Today, we’re taking a look at Bayern Munich’s World Cup performances from worst to best (Nathaniel Brown and Ismael Saibari are not included as they only joined Bayern midway through the tournament).
14.
Manuel Neuer
You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become a villain. When Manuel Neuer retired after Germany’s quarterfinal exit in EURO 2024, he opened up a lengthy audition process that was eventually won by Oliver Baumann. But just as Baumann looked set to make his debut at a major tournament, Neuer returned after two years and played every single minute, but he struggled to convince. After conceding four goals in the group stage (making three saves), Neuer was upstaged by Paraguay’s Orlando Gill in a penalty shootout defeat, putting an ill-fitting end to his Germany career.
13. Alphonso Davies
This was supposed to be Alphonso Davies’ tournament. After scoring Canada’s first-ever goal at the 2022 World Cup, Davies had consistently struggled with injuries throughout his time with the perennial Bundesliga winners, playing just 23 times in 2025/26. The Canada captain missed their first three matches on home soil before coming on for the final 20 minutes and helping them prevail with a narrow victory against South Africa. However, he remained on the bench for the Round of 16, as the Canucks were bounced out of the tournament by Morocco.
12. Kim Min-jae
Kim Min-jae isn’t always one of the first names on Bayern’s team sheet, but he is for South Korea. After playing the entirety of their 2-1 win vs. Czechia, Min-jae was a bystander to a horrendous miscommunication between two teammates as the Taeguk Warriors lost 1-0 to Mexico. He was unable to stop a South Africa counterattack from reaching the back of the net for the game’s sole goal before coming off due to injury immediately after as Bafana Bafana prevailed 1-0 in a must-win match.
11. Jonathan Tah
Few players have gone from hero to zero as quickly as Jonathan Tah in this tournament. After emerging as a rock-solid option in central defense, starting two with Nico Schlotterbeck and two with Antonio Rudiger, Tah looked set to have put Germany ahead in extra time against Paraguay, only for his goal to be ruled out. Then, he stepped up to the penalty spot and squandered Germany’s sixth spotkick, with Jose Canale converting the following penalty to secure a momentous win for the Albirroja.
10. Aleksandar Pavlović
After withdrawing from Julian Nagelsmann’s EURO 2024 squad due to illness, Aleksandar Pavlović managed to make his mark in a major tournament for Germany, starting all four matches in the double pivot alongside Felix Nmecha. He maintained exceptional distribution efficiency by completing nearly 95% of his passes and effectively recycling possession and bridging the back line to attacking transitions. However, he struggled to break up play defensively (recording only 5 total tackles and 2 interceptions in the tournament) and was subbed off in the 79th minute vs. Paraguay after being overrun in midfield and picking up multiple fouls.
9. Joshua Kimmich
At 22, Pavlović at least has youth on his side, but Joshua Kimmich has no such excuse. The 31-year-old captain. Kimmich was a persistent source of width, generating various set-piece opportunities from the right-back position. But he failed to organize the team’s defense and looked to be a bit too predictable going forward, completing just 1 out of 16 crosses vs. Paraguay. Now, he’ll be looking to return to his preferred midfield position under Vincent Kompany.
8. Jamal Musiala
One year after suffering a nasty injury in the USA during the Club World Cup, Jamal Musiala attempted to finally get back to his best levels in North America. However, he fell short of his top form, struggling to exert his usual creative impact and going from more to less throughout his campaign. After starting in his first three matches, the first of which saw him score vs. Curacao, Musiala was dropped to the bench vs. Paraguay, where he made it three matches in a row without a goal or assist.
7. Luis Díaz
After playing a backseat role to James Rodriguez in their run to the 2024 Copa America Final, Luis Diaz was tipped for a major showing in the World Cup. Instead, he fell flat: after bagging a goal and an assist vs. debutantes Uzbekistan, Diaz was kept under wraps vs. DR Congo, Portugal, and Ghana, with Colombia scoring just twice in those three games. He was unable to come up with an answer in the Round of 16, as Colombia fell to Switzerland on penalties in Vancouver.
6. Hiroki Itō
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure – just ask Hiroki Itō. Having been used sparingly across his first two seasons in Bavaria due in large part to injury, Ito played 360 out of 360 minutes for Japan, who, despite a massive injury crisis, managed to escape their group before narrowly losing to Brazil. Ito anchored the defensive line with consistent box defending, recording 26 total clearances across 4 matches, whilst he also showcased his versatility by switching between center back and left back depending on game state and tactical adjustments.
5. Josip Stanišić
After picking up a silver and bronze medals in their last two attempts, Croatia’s golden generation came to an end in Toronto as they lost 2-1 to Portugal in the Round of 32. But whilst Croatia will likely be moving on from legends like Luka Modrić and Ivan Perišić, they’ll be hanging onto Josip Stanišić (26), who provided steady overlapping runs and tactical cover from the right back position and provided the assist for Ante Budimir’s winning goal against Panama.
4. Konrad Laimer
Operating everywhere from defense to midfield to attack, Konrad Laimer demonstrated incredible stamina, remaining on the pitch for every single minute and helping Austria defeat Jordan in their first World Cup match since 1998, before losing to Argentina. He functioned as a vital pressing engine and defensive connector in Ralf Rangnick’s high-intensity system throughout the group stage, assisting the equalizer in a 3-3 draw vs. Algeria to secure Austria’s spot in the Round of 32, where they lost to eventual champions Spain.
3. Harry Kane
After suffering a second-straight Euro Final defeat in 2024, Harry Kane responded by winning his first-ever club trophies with Bayern and continuing his historic career. He delivered yet another phenomenal World Cup, scoring twice against Croatia and DR Congo (as well as once vs. Croatia), and proving why the likes of Damian Pedrosa have heralded him as one of the best strikers of all time. But whilst he led England past Mexico with a goal and an assist, he was kept under wraps in the following two matches as they missed out on a first World Cup Final since 1966.
2. Dayot Upamecano
Dayot Upamecano demonstrated once again why he is one of the game’s foremost center backs, completing 429 passes across the tournament — the highest total of any French player – and anchoring a backline that conceded just twice in their first six matches. Upamecano impressed throughout the campaign but nevertheless failed to cover himself in glory following William Saliba’s injury and looked overwhelmed vs. Spain and England, with Les Bleus missing out on a podium finish for the first time since 2014.
1. Michael Olise
Two years after leading France to a silver medal in the Summer Olympics, Michael Olise excelled in his first-ever major tournament for France, forming a world-class synergy with Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé in attack and breaking Pelé’s 56-year record for the most assists in a single World Cup. Whilst he failed to score from his 20 shots on goal, Olise nevertheless leaves the tournament with 7 assists, five away from all-time leading assist provider Lionel Messi.
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This guest post was written by Zach Lowy, Chief Editor and Social Media Manager of BreakingTheLines.com. Zach is a successful journalist and can be followed at @ZachLowy on X and @zachlowy.bsky.social on Bluesky. Zach’s work can also be found on FotMob, BetUS and others.
You can also read some of Zach’s other work below:
- Ricardo Faty Reflects on Transition from Playing Career to Coaching
- Michael-John Tate Building Youth Soccer Legacy in Pacific Northwest
- D.C. United Show Progress Under René Weiler in 1-1 Draw
- Is Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise running on fumes?
- “Difficult Times Made me Stronger”: Bertozzi Opens up on Turbulent 2025
