When you hear Bundesliga, the players that probably come to mind are Harry Kane, Jamal Musiala, Neuer, Florian Writz, and the like—you get the idea. But where is the fun in that? Everybody knows these popular players already; we know that they are good, and they prove themselves consistently.
But what of other players in the league? There are so many others that perform week in, week out, yet get so little credit for the work they do. This is something that is not exclusive to Bundesliga alone but all major football leagues, and it isn’t good enough.
They may not necessarily be in the top clubs, but it doesn’t change the fact that they are exceptionally good at what they do. And to that effect, we have compiled this list of the most underrated players in the Bundesliga. You will surely enjoy this one!
Ermedin Demirović
Most people know Ermedin Demirović as the new VFB Stuttgart forward who netted a goal within the first two games of the 2024–25 season, but not many are aware of his previous spells. This 26-year-old sensation played for Augsburg in the 2023–24 season, and although the team didn’t have the best run, Demirović still made his mark.
Augsburg finished 11th in the league and that probably explains why he is so underrated. He netted 15 goals in 33 appearances, finishing as the joint-sixth top goal scorer with Andrej Kramarić. He also had 9 assists to his name. The amazing thing is that he finished with more goals than some media-recognized players, like Victor Boniface and Benjamin Šeško.
As it stands, Demirović secured a four-year deal with VfB Stuttgart and fired off with a great start, bagging one goal within the first two minutes of matchday against SC Freiburg. Although VfB Stuttgart has had a rough start to the 2024–25 season, Demirović is certainly one to look out for, and he could make a difference for the team.
Maximilian Beier
Maximilian Beier is another youngster that looked to have spawned out of nowhere. This 21-year-old forward had a good spell in 2023–24, and even the big teams saw the potential he brings to the team. Beier secured a five-year deal with Borussia Dortmund and will probably get the recognition he deserves, going forward.
The 2002-born talent had 16 goals in 33 appearances in the 2023–24 season, and he finished as the fifth-highest goal-scorer. This is even more impressive when you factor in that he played for a mid-table club.
So far, so good; Beier remains one of the underrated youngsters in the league and this move to a bigger team might be what will open the eyes of fans to his ability.
Franck Honorat
Franck Honorat is a 25-year-old midfielder who plays for Borussia Mönchengladbach, and chances are, you don’t know him very well. Well, that further proves our point of him being an underrated player. It may surprise you that he had the same 11 assists as Thomas Muller in the 2023–24 season.
Borussia Mönchengladbach weren’t the best last season as they finished in 14th place and had a poor run towards the end of the season, but it could have been worse. It was players like Franck Honorat that made a difference in the team, running the show in the middle of the park.
Bernardo
Bernardo being on this list may come as a surprise, but this 29-year-old defender deserves his accolade. Apart from the fact that he played for VfL Bochum, a side that narrowly escaped relegation in the 2023–24 season, he is also a defender.
Unfortunately, defenders don’t get recognition as easily as attacking players. This is because they don’t score goals or give assists very often, making them seem insignificant to the wins of their teams. But that shouldn’t be the case.
Bernardo won 504 duels in the 2023–24 season, and the next best after him won 408 duels. He also won 166 aerial duels, the third highest for that season, yet fans don’t rate him as they should.
Although Bernardo may not be in a top-flight team, the 29-year-old is always a sensation to watch. He’s getting interest from other teams in the league, but maybe if he was in a team like Bayern or Borussia Dortmund, the German fans would give him his accolades.
Oliver Baumann
It wouldn’t be right to round up this list without considering a goalkeeper. After all, they are also pivotal in rescuing games countless times. Of course, it is easy to mention names like Neuer, Kobel, or Hradecky, but these keepers are naturally in the spotlight—they play for the top clubs in the league already.
On the other hand, Oliver Baumann is the number-one choice for TSG Hoffenheim, and he has been at the club since 2014. Baumann is the definition of “stats don’t define a player” because looking at the stat boards, Hoffenheim conceded 66 goals in the 2023–34 season.
However, what the stats won’t show you is that he faced 157 shots, the highest among all goalkeepers in the league. Even at that, Hoffenheim still finished in 7th place, which was enough to see them through for Europa League qualification.
