Borussia Dortmund defender Julian Ryerson has been named the best full-back in the Bundesliga by Kicker. The respected German football publication placed him at the summit of its latest positional rankings, which assess player performances from the second half of the 2025/26 season.
Kicker releases its comprehensive player evaluations every six months, dividing selections by position and further categorising them according to performance levels. The magazine has now published the second part of its summer rankings, offering a definitive assessment of the latter stages of the recently concluded campaign.
Ryerson’s first-place finish places him ahead of several established names in Germany’s top flight. The recognition confirms his status among the division’s defensive elite following his consistent displays during the assessment period.
The rankings also highlight strong showings from other full-backs across the league. VfB Stuttgart‘s Maximilian Mittelstädt features in fifth position, reflecting his continued importance to one of the Bundesliga’s competitive sides.
Perhaps notably, Nathaniel Brown occupies eighth place whilst listed as an Eintracht Frankfurt player, despite having completed a summer transfer to FC Bayern Munich. This indicates that his performances for Frankfurt during the second half of the season were sufficiently impressive to secure a top-ten placing regardless of his subsequent move to the champions.
The Kicker rankings carry significant weight within German football, with the publication’s twice-yearly assessments widely regarded as benchmark evaluations of individual performances across the Bundesliga. For Dortmund, having their defender recognised as the division’s finest in his position underlines the quality within their squad.