Kane and Wirtz IN: Bundesliga Team of the Season so far

Tom Weber

• 28 Dec 2024 09:08 CST
• 7 min read

The 2024/25 Bundesliga season has been a thrilling one so far.

Reigning champions Bayer Leverkusen have struggled to recapture last term's unprecedented form, which has allowed Bayern Munich to reclaim their place in the sun.

However, recent results have blown the title race wide open again as Bayern were surprisingly beaten by this season's surprise package Mainz. Indeed, a few teams are flying unexpectedly high, with Eintracht Frankfurt, Borussia Monchengladbach, Werder Bremen also outperforming expectations.

READ MORE: Moises Caicedo and Mohamed Salah IN - Premier League Team of the Season so far

On the other hand, the likes of Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund and shock 2024 runners-up Stuttgart have massively underperformed so far.

Below, FootballTransfers has assembled our Bundesliga Team of the Season so far...

GK: Peter Gulacsi (RB Leipzig)

RB Leipzig have had a bizarre season. They sit fourth in the standings but head coach Marco Rose has been under intense pressure, particularly due to the club's pitiful performances in the Champions League.

Leipzig were supposed to challenge for the title this term, so fourth at the winter break is an underwhelming position, but it hasn't been all bad. Up until their chastening recent 5-1 loss to Bayern, Leipzig had boasted one of the league's stoutest backlines.

Forgotten former Liverpool goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi was putting up the best defensive numbers in the division and therefore gets into our Team of the Season. Other players who deserve to be mentioned are Mainz's Robin Zentner, Frankfurt's Kevin Trapp and Freiburg's Noah Atubolu.

READ MORE: Jonathan David and Rayan Cherki IN - Ligue 1 Team of the Season so far

LB: Nathaniel Brown (Frankfurt)

Alphonso Davies is having a much-improved season after a poor 2023/24 campaign, while Bayer Leverkusen's Alejandro Grimaldo has continued to do Alejandro Grimaldo things.

However - and this is perhaps surprising - we have given the nod to Frankfurt youngster Nathaniel Brown because his recent form has been quite stunning.

Signed from second-tier Nurnberg off the back of a breakout season, the 21-year-old started the campaign as a backup option struggling to even make matchday squads. However, when given a chance to impress in early November, he grasped it with both hands.

In his last seven Bundesliga games, Brown has notched a quite ridiculous three goals and three assists playing as a left wing-back for Frankfurt.

This is not only a better output than what Davies and Grimaldo have managed in the league but his performances have even seen Brown play himself onto the radar of Julian Nagelsmann, who could call him up for Germany in the spring.

CB: Arthur Theate (Frankfurt)

Another Frankfurt player, Belgium international Arthur Theate has been one of the signings of the season so far. The 24-year-old joined from Stade Rennais on an initial loan that is expected to become permanent and has been nothing short of brilliant so far.

The left-footer has featured in several defensive roles under Dino Toppmoller this season, playing as a centre-back in a back three and a back four and as a left-back at times.

In the weeks leading up to the winter break, the defender even soldiered on through a ligament tear in his ankle to keep playing, so he deserves a place in our team.

CB: Willi Orban (RB Leipzig)

As mentioned earlier, RB Leipzig had, until recently, one of the best defences in the Bundesliga. Goalkeeper Gulacsi has received a lot of praise but so too has captain Willi Orban.

The Hungary international has been almost everpresent and, despite not getting any younger, he is seemingly getting better with age. The 32-year-old has also contributed with a quite impressive four goals so far, which is all the more reason to include him.

Bayern's Dayot Upamecano, Gladbach's Ko Itakura and Mainz's Dominik Kohr are other defenders who deserve to be mentioned.

RB: Anthony Caci (Mainz)

French defender Anthony Caci has undergone a really interesting transformation under Mainz coach Bo Henriksen. A left-back by trade, Caci has been moved to the opposite side where he now features primarily as a right wing-back despite being left-footed.

It has been a tactical tweak that has worked to great effect, with Caci proving crucial to Mainz's success this season. The Frenchman has notched three assists so far this term.

Of course, we could have also just as well included Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong, who has two goals and four assists in the Bundesliga this term, but Mainz deserve some love as they currently sit in a hugely unexpected fifth.

CM: Joshua Kimmich (Bayern)

Joshua Kimmich endured a difficult 2023/24 season under Thomas Tuchel. Shoehorned into a right-back position, the 29-year-old did his job but clearly wasn't happy.

It has been a different story under Vincent Kompany so far, with the German now back in his favoured defensive midfield role and playing like a man determined to show Bayern's bosses that he is invaluable.

Kimmich was a candidate to be sold in the summer but club chiefs are now scrambling to tie him down to a new contract due to his performances.

CM: Jens Stage (Bremen)

Like Mainz, Werder Bremen have been a major surprise this season, currently occupying seventh place. An even bigger surprise than the club at large has been Jens Stage in particular.

The Danish midfielder has morphed into an unrecognisable figure this season. Stage has always been a midfielder who liked to crash into the box and get on the end of chances but his problem ahead of this term was that, well, he couldn't finish to save his life.

When in on goal, you could have bet your house on Stage fluffing his lines, but this is, surprisingly, no longer the case. In fact, the midfielder is currently Bremen's best goalscorer with seven goals and has been quite brilliant this term.

CAM: Florian Wirtz (Leverkusen)

Bayer Leverkusen superstar Florian Wirtz is not slowing down. After an MVP 2023/24 campaign, the German wonderkid is putting up similar numbers again this season.

The 21-year-old is an outstanding technician and has so far notched seven goals and seven assists in 15 games, illustrating that he is one of the biggest talents in world football.

CAM: Jamal Musiala (Bayern)

The second attacking midfielder in our 4-2-2-2 formation is Wirtz's partner in crime for Germany, Jamal Musiala. The Bayern Munich talisman has reached another level under Vincent Kompany, who has built his side around the 21-year-old.

Musiala is the heartbeat of the Belgian's side and he is relishing this role. The youngster has scored nine goals in 13 appearances while also contributing three assists. He is keeping teammate Michael Olise out of our side, although he too has been very good.

ST: Omar Marmoush (Frankfurt)

The Bundesliga Player of the Season so far has been Omar Marmoush and it is not even debatable. The Egyptian already impressed last season, but he has been simply unplayable this term.

Marmoush has become the full package, capable of hurting opponents from every conceivable situation or position, regardless of whether he is leading a counter, combining with teammates or hitting set pieces.

The 25-year-old has scored an absurd 13 goals in 15 appearances while providing an equally absurd eight assists. In all competitions, Marmoush has netted 18 goals - including direct free-kicks in three consecutive games - and set up his teammates 12 times.

ST: Harry Kane (Bayern)

The only Bundesliga player who has bettered Marmoush's goal tally is, of course, Harry Kane. The Bayern star has found the net 14 times while providing seven assists, thus matching the Egyptian's overall goal contributions and doing it in two fewer games.

The 31-year-old is still the reliable goalscorer of years past and the eyebrow-raising €100m that Bayern splashed out on him in 2023 continues to look like money well spent.

Mainz's Jonathan Burkhardt and Gladbach's Tim Kleindienst are also strikers who have been mightily impressive this term.