Germans in Australia · Football
Every Australian who has played in the Bundesliga
Updated 9 October 2026
Two Australians have won both the Bundesliga and the J.League Cup: Ned Zelic (Bundesliga 1994–95 with Borussia Dortmund, J.League Cup 2003 with Urawa Reds) and Mitch Langerak (Bundesliga 2010–11 and 2011–12 with Dortmund, J.League Cup 2021 and 2024 with Nagoya Grampus).
24 Australians have played in the Bundesliga, Germany’s top division. The first was David Mitchell at Eintracht Frankfurt in the mid-1980s. The latest is Paul Okon-Engstler, who joined 1. FC Köln in 2026.
Only Bundesliga appearances count here. Players who only made it to the 2. Bundesliga or a club’s reserve team are not on the list.
The full list
Sorted by first Bundesliga season. Seasons are the years each player spent in the top division.
| Player | Position | Bundesliga club(s) | Seasons | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Mitchell | Striker |  Eintracht Frankfurt | 1985–87 | The earliest Australian on the list. |
| Ned Zelic | Defender / defensive midfielder |  Borussia DortmundEintracht Frankfurt 1860 Munich | 1992–96 1997–2002 | Bundesliga champion 1994–95 with Dortmund. J.League Cup 2003 with Urawa Reds. UEFA Cup runner-up 1992–93. |
| Mark Schwarzer | Goalkeeper |  Dynamo Dresden 1. FC Kaiserslautern | 1994–96 | Went on to a long Premier League career. League Cup 2003–04 with Middlesbrough. |
| Damian Mori | Forward |  Borussia Mönchengladbach | 1996–97 | NSL champion 1993–94. |
| Paul Agostino | Forward | 1860 Munich | 1997–2004 | Seven Bundesliga seasons with 1860 Munich. |
| Hayden Foxe | Centre-back |  Arminia Bielefeld | 1997–98 | A-League champion 2009–10. |
| Frank Juric | Goalkeeper |  Bayer Leverkusen Hannover 96 | 1999–2001 2002–03 2005–06 | Bundesliga runner-up 1999–2000 and 2001–02, Champions League runner-up 2001–02 with Leverkusen. |
| David Zdrilić | Forward |  SSV Ulm SpVgg Unterhaching | 1999–2001 | A-League champion 2005–06. |
| Joshua Kennedy | Striker |  VfL Wolfsburg 1. FC Köln 1. FC Nürnberg Karlsruher SC | 2000–02 2003–04 2006–09 | DFB-Pokal 2006–07 with Nürnberg. Bundesliga Player of the Month, February 2008. |
| Craig Moore | Centre-back | Borussia Mönchengladbach | 2004–05 | Several Scottish titles with Rangers before his season in Germany. |
| Michael Beauchamp | Centre-back | 1. FC Nürnberg | 2006–08 | DFB-Pokal 2006–07 with Nürnberg. |
| Matthew Špiranović | Defender | 1. FC Nürnberg | 2006–08 2009–10 | DFB-Pokal 2006–07 with Nürnberg. AFC Champions League 2014. |
| Dario Vidošić | Attacking midfielder | 1. FC Nürnberg | 2007–08 2009–11 | Swiss Cup 2014–15. |
| Mitchell Langerak | Goalkeeper | Borussia Dortmund VfB Stuttgart | 2010–16 | Bundesliga champion 2010–11 and 2011–12, DFB-Pokal 2011–12 with Dortmund. J.League Cup 2021 and 2024 with Nagoya Grampus (final MVP 2024). |
| Mathew Leckie | Winger | Borussia Mönchengladbach FC Ingolstadt Hertha BSC | 2011–12 2015–21 | Seven Bundesliga seasons with three clubs. 2. Bundesliga title with Ingolstadt 2014–15. |
| Nikita Rukavytsya | Winger / forward | Hertha BSC Mainz 05 | 2011–13 | Later twice the top scorer of the Israeli Premier League. |
| Robbie Kruse | Forward |  Fortuna DüsseldorfBayer LeverkusenVfB Stuttgart | 2012–16 | AFC Asian Cup winner 2015. |
| George Timotheou | Centre-back |  Schalke 04 | 2018–19 | |
| Brandon Borrello | Winger |  SC Freiburg | 2019–20 | |
| Ajdin Hrustic | Midfielder | Eintracht Frankfurt | 2020–22 | UEFA Europa League winner 2021–22 with Frankfurt. |
| Alou Kuol | Striker | VfB Stuttgart | 2022–23 | |
| Jackson Irvine | Central midfielder |  FC St. Pauli | 2024–26 | 2. Bundesliga title with St. Pauli 2023–24, then two Bundesliga seasons. AFC Asian Cup Team of the Tournament 2023. |
| Connor Metcalfe | Central midfielder | FC St. Pauli | 2024–26 | 2. Bundesliga title with St. Pauli 2023–24. |
| Paul Okon-Engstler | Defensive midfielder | 1. FC Köln | 2026– | Currently in the Bundesliga. AFC U-20 Asian Cup winner 2025. |
Special mention: Nestory Irankunda
If you are looking for Nestory Irankunda, he is not in the table, and it is a bit of a sad story.
Bayern Munich signed the Adelaide United winger in late 2023, when he was 17, for a fee reported at around €4 million, an A-League record. He moved to Munich in July 2024 with huge expectations back home. He never played a Bundesliga game. His football at Bayern came in the reserve team in the fourth-tier Regionalliga, and in January 2025 he went on loan to Grasshopper in Switzerland. In July 2025 he joined Watford in England’s Championship, and in 2026 he moved on to Sporting CP in Portugal.
He is still young, so a Bundesliga game might yet come. Until then, he stays off the list.
He is not the only one. Mustafa Amini spent four years at Borussia Dortmund (2011–15) and sat on the bench in the Champions League, but only played for the reserves. Dean Heffernan was on loan at 1. FC Nürnberg in 2006–07 without a Bundesliga appearance.
Australians who won the Bundesliga
Only two Australians have won the title, and both did it with Borussia Dortmund:
- Ned Zelic, champion in 1994–95.
- Mitch Langerak, champion in 2010–11 and 2011–12, plus the DFB-Pokal in 2012.
Both later won the J.League Cup in Japan: Zelic with Urawa Reds in 2003, Langerak with Nagoya Grampus in 2021 and again in 2024.
Sources
- Wikipedia: List of foreign Bundesliga players, and the pages of each player
- Football Australia: Nestory Irankunda seals Championship switch to Watford, Amini confirms Dortmund exit
- Sport1: Warum Irankunda bei Bayern scheiterte
- RSSSF: Bundesliga data on players from Australia
- Wikipedia: 2003 J.League Cup final, 2021 J.League Cup final, 2024 J.League Cup
- Club crests via Wikimedia Commons and German Wikipedia. 1. FC Köln crest © 1. FC Köln, CC BY-SA 4.0. All crests are trademarks of their clubs.
FAQ
Which Australian won the Bundesliga and the J.League Cup?
Two did. Ned Zelic won the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund in 1994–95 and the J.League Cup with Urawa Reds in 2003, playing in the final. Mitch Langerak won the Bundesliga with Dortmund in 2010–11 and 2011–12, and the J.League Cup with Nagoya Grampus in 2021 and 2024.
How many Australians have played in the Bundesliga?
24, as of October 2026. Only appearances in the top division count, not the 2. Bundesliga or reserve teams.
Which Australians have won the Bundesliga?
Ned Zelic (1994–95) and Mitch Langerak (2010–11 and 2011–12), both with Borussia Dortmund.
Did Nestory Irankunda play in the Bundesliga?
No. Bayern Munich signed him from Adelaide United in 2024, but he only played for Bayern's reserve team before loans and transfers to Grasshopper, Watford and Sporting CP.
Is there an Australian in the Bundesliga right now?
Yes. Paul Okon-Engstler joined 1. FC Köln in 2026.