The Youth Files - Germany Part I - The Established Core

This week we look at Germany where the youth revolution is very much underway.

Part I looks over the established young players, very much central to their teams and completely at home in the league.  These are Bundesliga's established youth core, all 22 and under.

Part II will, once again, cover the potential up and coming players.

Bundesliga's Established XI:

Thomas Muller - Bayern Munich - The jewel in the crown. Muller is arguably the best German player of his generation, equally potent and deadly from either attacking midfield or as a second, deeper striker.  One of the revelations of the 2010 World Cup where he impressed for third placed Germany, Muller has continued to single-handedly lead Bayern's charge at home.  12 goals, 12 assist, 34 games for the 21 year old.

Joel Matip - Schalke - Already experienced with a deep run the Champions' League, the teenager from Cameroon has established himself as an integral part of the retooling Schalke will be doing around its youth core. Still only 19, he played 26 games for the Ruhr club in midfield including starts in Europe and the Cameroonian team. A cousin of Joseph Desire-Job, he played at the 2010 World Cup.

Simon Kjaer - Wolfsburg - Highly rated at Palermo, during which time he was scouted by all the giants of European football, Kjaer moved to the Bundesliga and has not looked back, firmly emerging as one of the best defenders in the league. Tall, strong and with a commanding presence in the air, Kjaer is a natural successor to Bundesliga greats like Jurgen Kohler. Played 32 times last season for the 2010 Champions.

Sven Bender - Borussia Dortmund - A former finalist for the youth player award, which he lost to his twin brother Lars (more on him later), Bender is one the many sparkling young thoroughbreds in the Bundesliga Champions' stable.  Fast, with a great range of passing, he started 34 games last season and notched one goal and two assists. With Nuri Sahin's departure to Real, Bender will be expected to step up this year and into Sahin's shoes.

Gylfi Sigurdsson - Hoffenheim - The Icelandic international scored nine goals and provided three assists, in 26 games since sealing a move to Hoffenheim, from Reading, for whom he had twice one out on loan. Potent in front of goal and possessing excellent off the ball movement, he is seen as a long term replacement to emulate Eidur Gudjohnsen's achievements up front for Iceland. Still only 21. Not related to any owl in the Ga'hoole series.

Oliver Baumann - Freiburg - At 21 he is already a stating league goalkeeper for his club.  Essential to amazing Freiburg's ninth place finish last season, Baumann backstopped them to the Europa league with strings of clutch saves and a maturity that belies his tender age.  Started 31 games for the club and is one of the best young stoppers in Europe.

Lewis Holtby - Mainz - Born of an English father, Holtby's youthful endeavour were a refreshing and crucial element of Main'z excellent season and their record equalling start. With 30 games and 23 starts providing four goals, he was a smash hit with partner in crime and fellow young player, Andre Schurrle, with whom he linked to some effect.  At just 20 he is one of the Bundesliga's better midfielders.

Stefan Reinartz - Bayer Leverkusen - At 22, he is already the leading left back for club, for whom he played 31 times last season, starting 29 games.  With over 40 hours of football during which he played across the back four as well as the odd game in midfield, Reinartz is very much the future at the Bay Arena.  Already capped at national level by Germany, after years representing his country at U-21 and U-19 level.

Marko Marin - Werder Bremen - After an excellent World Cup debut with Germany at South Africa in 2010, Marin returned to a season in which his club struggled. Despite the infighting and morale-sapping performances, the diminutive Marin continued to impress on the wing - having racked up 64 appearances, four assists and nine goals since 2009. The future of his club's midfield, Marin shares an idol with this blogger, considering Dejan Savicevic as his footballing hero.  Capped 16 times already for Germany.

Lars Bender - Bayer Leverkusen - Another 22 year old stalwart at club level, the twin brother of Sven, is another standout at his club.  A former winner of the Fritz Walter award for outstanding youth talent, he has kicked on from a promising start at 1860 Munich to continue to impress once he moved to Leverkusen.  27 games brought 3 goals and one assist for the midfielder who was a regular at U-21 and U-19 level for Germany.

Andre Schurrle - Mainz - At the age of 20, and already the leading marksman for his club, Schurrle was devastating for Mainz last year tallying 15 goals.  Part of an attacking quartet with Holtby, Sami Allagui and Adam Szalai, Schurrle was in mesmerizing form as Mainz shocked everyone to sit in second for much of the early part of the season.  Should continue to contest the scoring lead this season.

Marko Arnautovic - Werder Bremen - Another of the few bright sparks for Werder Bremen in what was a disappointing season, Arnautovic was groomed to lead the line for Bremen.  Having finished a loan spell at Inter, he transferred to Werder, from Twente in Holland and was immediately installed as the lead attacking role. At just 22, he is the future replacement for Hugo Almeida, Markus Rosenberg and Claudio Pizarro. Has scored four goals in nine games for Austria.