Borussia Dortmund have never struggled to find talented midfielders. From the technically gifted playmakers who helped establish the club among Europe’s elite to the relentless ball-winners who powered Jürgen Klopp’s incredible teams, the Westfalenstadion has witnessed plenty of outstanding midfield performances.
Some names are impossible to forget. Nuri Şahin, İlkay Gündoğan and Marco Reus will always command attention when discussing Dortmund’s modern history. Others, however, have gradually disappeared from the conversation.
There have been plenty of quality midfielders who made important contributions to Dortmund without necessarily becoming household names. Some were tactical specialists, others offered valuable versatility, and a few possessed technical qualities that deserved considerably more recognition.
Here are 8 forgotten Borussia Dortmund midfielders who deserve another look.
Tamás Hajnal
There was a time when Tamás Hajnal was one of the most important creative players in Dortmund’s midfield.
The Hungarian international arrived from Karlsruher SC in 2008, bringing a traditional number 10 profile into a Dortmund side that was beginning to take shape under Klopp.
Hajnal was not the physically imposing midfielder who would eventually become associated with Klopp’s best teams. Instead, he relied on intelligent movement, quick combinations and the ability to find attacking players between the lines.
He offered something different in a Dortmund side that was still developing its identity.
His 2008 DFL-Supercup performance against Bayern Munich was an excellent introduction to his creative qualities. Hajnal scored a free-kick in Dortmund’s 2-1 victory, providing an early glimpse of what he could bring to the team.
His importance gradually diminished as Klopp developed a more aggressive and physically demanding midfield structure, but Hajnal deserves recognition as one of the players who helped bridge the gap between Dortmund’s difficult financial years and their eventual resurgence.
Miroslav Stević
Miroslav Stević was not necessarily the most technically gifted midfielder to wear Dortmund’s famous yellow and black shirt, but he offered something that every successful team needs.
Aggression.
Stević was a combative presence who provided protection for Dortmund’s more creative players. During an era when Andreas Möller and other attacking talents needed freedom to influence matches, having someone willing to handle the less glamorous responsibilities was invaluable.
He was particularly useful when Dortmund needed to disrupt opposition midfielders and prevent dangerous transitions.
His approach was not always pretty. Stević was a physical midfielder who understood the importance of making life uncomfortable for opponents, and his willingness to compete made him an important component of Dortmund’s midfield options.
The fiery 2001 meeting with Bayern Munich provided a particularly memorable example of the combative atmosphere surrounding German football during this period.
Stević was hardly a glamorous name, but players like him were important to Dortmund’s ability to compete.
Antônio da Silva
Antônio da Silva was never going to receive the same recognition as Dortmund’s headline-grabbing attacking talents, but he provided Jürgen Klopp with a useful alternative in midfield.
The Brazilian was a technically accomplished player who could bring composure to possession and offer a dangerous delivery from dead-ball situations.
That latter quality was particularly valuable.
Dortmund’s high-intensity approach could sometimes struggle against opponents who defended deep and refused to leave space behind their defensive lines. In those circumstances, having a midfielder capable of producing something from a set piece was an important alternative.
Da Silva offered exactly that.
His ability to retain possession and draw fouls also made him a useful option when Dortmund needed to change the rhythm of a match.
He was never the most prominent member of Klopp’s midfield, but he was another example of the different profiles that helped make Dortmund’s squad so effective during the early 2010s.
Christian Nerlinger
Christian Nerlinger was an important part of Dortmund’s midfield during a period when the club was still establishing itself as one of Germany’s dominant sides.
The former Bayern Munich midfielder brought experience, positional discipline and a useful understanding of how to control matches.
Nerlinger was not necessarily the player supporters would remember for spectacular goals or extravagant passing. His contribution was more understated.
He provided a connection between Dortmund’s deeper midfielders and their more adventurous attacking players, helping the team maintain its structure and avoid becoming unnecessarily exposed.
His qualities were particularly relevant during the 2001/02 campaign, when Dortmund won the Bundesliga title under Matthias Sammer.
There were plenty of more recognizable names in that team, but successful title-winning sides need players who can handle the less glamorous responsibilities.
Nerlinger was one of those players.
His Dortmund career was not defined by individual brilliance, but his experience and ability to contribute to a balanced midfield made him a valuable part of the squad.
Sunday Oliseh
Sunday Oliseh was an incredibly interesting midfielder, and his time at Borussia Dortmund deserves considerably more attention.
The Nigerian international was already an accomplished player when he arrived in Germany, bringing a combination of physical strength, defensive intelligence and impressive distribution.
Oliseh was particularly effective when operating deeper in midfield, where he could read opposition attacks and dictate the direction of Dortmund’s possession.
He was not simply a defensive midfielder whose primary responsibility was winning tackles. His passing range allowed him to turn defensive recoveries into attacking opportunities almost immediately.
That ability was important during Dortmund’s successful 2001/02 campaign.
Oliseh offered a valuable balance between defensive security and progressive distribution, making him an excellent complement to the more attack-minded players in Sammer’s squad.
His qualities were also evident during Dortmund’s memorable European run in 2002, which culminated in their UEFA Cup final appearance.
He might not be the first name supporters associate with that generation, but Oliseh was a seriously talented midfielder.
Vladimir But
Vladimir But is one of the more obscure names on this list, but his technical qualities made him an interesting player during his time at Dortmund.
The Russian midfielder possessed an excellent left foot and offered a different creative dimension to Dortmund’s midfield options.
He could operate in a deeper position, distributing the ball over longer distances, or move further forward to exploit spaces around the opposition penalty area.
That versatility made him a useful option in a squad containing several physically imposing attacking players.
But was not necessarily a guaranteed starter, but his ability to produce something unexpected made him an intriguing alternative.
There was a certain unpredictability to his game that could be difficult for opponents to deal with, particularly when Dortmund needed someone capable of changing the tempo.
He never became one of the defining figures of the club’s history, but his technical ability makes him a worthwhile inclusion in any discussion of forgotten Dortmund midfielders.
Sven Bender
Sven Bender was not exactly a forgotten player during his time at Dortmund, but his contribution to Klopp’s extraordinary team deserves to be remembered more often.
While Nuri Şahin, İlkay Gündoğan and Mario Götze received much of the attention for their technical qualities, Bender provided the defensive foundation that allowed Dortmund’s more creative players to flourish.
He was a relentless ball-winner who excelled at breaking up opposition attacks, closing passing lanes and protecting his defensive line.
In Klopp’s 4-2-3-1 system, Bender was often the more defensively responsible member of the double pivot.
His job was straightforward in theory but incredibly demanding in practice: win possession, disrupt transitions and give his teammates the freedom to attack.
Bender was also remarkably committed to the cause. His willingness to put his body on the line became a defining characteristic of his Dortmund career.
He was never going to produce the spectacular passing combinations associated with Gündoğan, but Dortmund would not have been the same team without his defensive contributions.
There is a reason he became such a popular figure among supporters.
Florian Kringe
Florian Kringe might be one of the most overlooked players from Dortmund’s mid-2000s generation.
He was never the biggest name in the squad, but his versatility and work rate made him an extremely useful player during a period when Dortmund did not have the financial resources or squad depth to compete with Germany’s wealthiest clubs.
Kringe could operate in central midfield, move into a wider position or even provide cover at right-back.
That flexibility was particularly valuable because it allowed Dortmund to adjust their shape without necessarily making substitutions.
He was essentially a tactical utility player who could contribute in several different positions without dramatically changing the team’s balance.
However, reducing Kringe to a versatile squad option would be unfair.
He also possessed a useful attacking contribution, combining his willingness to cover enormous distances with an ability to arrive in dangerous positions.
His performances during the 2007/08 campaign demonstrated that he could be more than just a dependable squad player.
Kringe was never going to become a Dortmund superstar, but his combination of versatility, athleticism and willingness to do the difficult work made him an important part of the club’s midfield options.
He might not immediately come to mind when remembering Borussia Dortmund’s history, but that is precisely why he belongs on this list.
Purveyor of footy since the 90s. Favor the Premier League and old school Serie A with a touch of Bundesliga. More than a touch. Professional writer for 20 years, covering every sport but now focused on the Premier League and world football. You won’t be able to guess my favorite team.