ESPN’s Top 100 has some hits and some misses on Bayern Munich, along with a lack of Bundesliga players

Ah...it is that time of year: “Bayern Munich/Bundesliga Disrespect Season.”

ESPN put out its “Top 100” list where it breaks down a Top 10 last the following positions:

1. Goalkeeper
2. Right-back
3. Left-back
4. Center-back
5. Central Midfield
6. Winger
7. Attacking Midfield
8. Forward
9. Striker
10. Manager

Some of those categories are broad (for sure), but the “Worldwide Leader in Sports” put out its selections. Without further adieu, here is where the Bayern players and coach ranked:

• Goalkeeper: Manuel Neuer — #3
• Right-back: Benjamin Pavard — #10
• Left-back: Alphonso Davies — #2
• Central Midfield: Joshua Kimmich — #2
• Attacking Midfield: Thomas Müller — #3
• Winger: Serge Gnabry — #4
• Striker: Robert Lewandowski — #1
• Manager: Julian Nagelsmann — #6

Other Bayern Munich or Germany related selections include:

• Goalkeeper: Marc-Andre ter Stegen — #8 (FC Barcelona)
• Left-back: Robin Gosens — #8 (Atalanta)
• Left-back: Raphael Guerreiro — #6 (Borussia Dortmund)
• Center-back: David Alaba — #6 (Real Madrid)
• Center-back: Antonio Rüdiger — #5 (Chelsea FC)
• Forward: Kai Havertz — #8 (Chelsea FC)
• Striker: Erling Haaland — #2 (Borussia Dortmund)
• Manager: Hansi Flick — #10 (Germany)
• Manager: Jurgen Klopp — #4 (Liverpool)
• Manager: Pep Guardiola — #2 (Manchester City)
• Manager: Thomas Tuchel — #1 (Chelsea FC)

For the full list, click here.

BFW Quick Hit Analysis

• Flick at 10 is WAY too low. That’s ridiculous. Being lower than Nagelsmann is crazy in and of itself.
• None of Bayern Munich’s three highly-rated center-backs earned a nod.
• Leon Goretzka being left off the list completely is a joke.
• Theo Hernandez is the #3 left-back, while his older, better brother did not get any recognition at either center-back or left-back. That was a headscratcher.
• I’d take Niklas Süle over almost many of the listed center-backs on the listed to be honest.
• You can sell me that Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne should be rated higher than Müller, but Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes? Nah...hard pass. I don’t even know — as much as I rate De Bruyne — that he is better than Müller at this very moment.
• As always, the Premier League bias for pundits runs deep.
• If Marcel Sabitzer doesn’t move to Bayern Munich, he probably makes the list.
• Serge Gnabry seemed a bit high and you might find it hard to find many Bundesliga viewers who would rate him over Leroy Sane for this calendar year.
• Sane not being rated at all is awful.
• The lack of Borussia Dortmund players (and Bundesliga players as a whole) was odd as well.
• Bayern Munich ranked fourth overall on the total number of players on the list with eight selections. The Bundesliga only had 10 total and ranked tied for fourth place with Ligue 1 among “Europe’s Top 5” leagues.