DW's team of the Bundesliga season so far

In a country so spoiled for choice between the posts, Bayer Leverkusen's 21-year-old keeper Bernd Leno is yet to win a senior national call-up. Germany's Manuel Neuer might have conceded half as many in the Bayern goal, but consider how much busier Leno was when the two sides met and drew 1-1 this season. Leverkusen's youngster has also saved three of the four penalties he has faced this season.

Dortmund's local boy seems to grow more important to his beloved club every season, even as more and more talent arrives and threatens to sideline him. Grosskreutz's versatility and willingness, not exactly a secret to begin with, have really come to the fore this season - as the left-footed midfielder ably deputized on the right side of defense for the injured Lukasz Piszczek.

This time last season, Wolfsburg had conceded 27 goals and sat 15th in the table; now they have conceded 19 and reside in fifth. Naldo's second season with the Wolves, partnering the equally impressive Robin Knoche in central defense, has been a happier campaign. As well as providing cover for captain and keeper Diego Benaglio, Naldo remains an attacking threat - in open play and from set pieces.

Holger Badstuber's seemingly endless knee treatment thrust Jerome Boateng into Bayern's first team; it was a cause of concern for some, yet Boateng has seized his chance. One of his likely rewards, besides another Bundesliga title in which he will play a more central role, will be a trip to the World Cup in Brazil. Once Bayern's biggest question mark, now he's Germany's first choice center-back.

A midfield lynchpin for his country, Austria's footballer of the past three years, and a marauding, tireless left-back for Bayern Munich, where he has extended his contract well ahead of schedule. Now, stop and remember that David Alaba is only 21. Whether he stays on the left of defense or has ambitions to move up into Guardiola's midfield, Alaba could be a Bayern regular for a decade or more.

Pep Guardiola's biggest change since taking charge at Bayern Munich? Surely it's taking Germany's captain Philipp Lahm, one of the best wide defenders on the planet, and reinventing him as a holding midfielder. The results of this once-contentious experiment speak for themselves. Lahm's strageic nouse, two strong feet and total selflessness make him the ideal midfield springboard and stopper.

As Borussia Dortmund saw their defense decimated by injury in recent weeks, Marco Reus continued to deliver going forward. Only striker Robert Lewandowski has scored more than Reus for Jürgen Klopp's side - but it's the versatile German winger who gives impetus to their attacks, while Lewandowski just finishes them off. When trouble looms, Dortmund's Yellow Wall of fans look to their number 11.

One goal and three assists doesn't sound like much at a team that's scored 42 league goals in just 16 games - but Toni Kroos' value to Bayern should not be underestimated. Kroos is one of the league's most sure-footed passers, doubly impressive when you consider his penchant for ambitious long balls. Kross might have the best range of passes in the Bundesliga; no wonder Guardiola's a fan.

Borussia Mönchengladbach boast arguably the two best signings of the summer: Max Kruse up front and Raffael behind him. Augmented by Patrick Herrmann's pace on the right and Juan Arango's deadly left boot, the Foals now present a fearsome attacking quartet. Coach Lucien Favre's favorite (he brought Raffael to FC Zurich, then Hertha Berlin, and now Gladbach) looks better than ever nearing his 29th.

We might just as easily have chosen the other half of Bayern's "Robbery" pairing on the flanks, given Arjen Robben's splendid form this season. He and Ribery sit first and second in the list of top average ratings compiled by football magazine "Kicker." But our quota of five Bayern players left space for just the one - and we picked Europe's player of the year, also a nominee for the global title.

Eight goals is not the best haul in the division, but add on Max Kruse's eight assists and the former Freiburg forward leads the league's combined "scorer list." Kruse joined Gladbach for the bargain basement price of 2.5 million euros, or one fifteenth of the fee Bayern paid for Mario Götze. Fans must be doubly pleased after the club broke its transfer record for flop Luuk de Jong last summer.

Ömer Toprak is flourishing under the tutelage of Sami Hyypiä, himself one of the modern greats in central defense. Apart from the occasional rotation to accommodate the club's Champions League campaign, the 24-year-old has been a regular fixture in the back four. The adventurous defender is yet to score in the Bundesliga, but he netted crucially against Real Sociedad to keep the club in Europe.

The words "diminutive" and "bulldog" rarely make great bedfellows, but combine neatly to describe Hertha Berlin's midfield anchor Hajime Hosogai. The Japanese international could not establish himself with Bayer Leverkusen but has become indispensable at his new home in the German capital. Ronny and Adrian Ramos might be scoring the goals, but Hosogai has also helped Hertha to sixth position.

Hoffenheim remain leakier than a Swiss-cheese sailboat, but no longer look like relegation candidates this season. Coach Markus Gisdol's "gunners" have adopted a fearless, sometimes even reckless, attacking game that rarely fails to entertain. Brazilian playmaker Firmino and German attacking all-rounder Kevin Volland (hitching a piggy-back) do much of the heavy lifting going forward.

Lewandowski has had several quiet games and spurned his fair share of chances - in a Dortmund attack that's generally rather profligate in front of goal - yet still he has 11 Bundesliga goals and five assists to his name. Even as his Dortmund departure beckons, the Pole continues to deliver the goods - and just pips Leverkusen's Stefan Kiessling and Hertha's Adrian Ramos to DW's "best of" bench.