The invention describes a sliding element, in particular a sliding bearing, with a support element and a sliding layer, between which a bearing metal layer is arranged, wherein the sliding layer is made from bismuth or a bismuth alloy, and wherein the crystallites of the bismuth or the bismuth alloy in the sliding layer adopt a preferred direction with respect to their orientation, expressed by the Miller index of the lattice plane (012), wherein the X-ray diffraction intensity of the lattice plane (012) is the greatest compared to the X-ray diffraction intensities of other lattice planes. The X-ray diffraction intensity of the lattice plane with the second-largest X-ray diffraction intensity is a maximum of 10% of the X-ray diffraction intensity of the lattice plane (012).