Benedikt Höwedes facts for kids

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Benedikt Höwedes

Höwedes with Lokomotiv Moscow in 2018
Personal information
Date of birth	(1988-02-29) 29 February 1988 (age 36)
Place of birth	Haltern, West Germany
Height	1.88 m
Playing position	Defender
Club information
Current club	Germany (assistant)
Youth career
1994–2000	TuS Haltern
2000–2001	SG Herten-Langenbochum
2001–2007	Schalke 04
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2007–2009	Schalke 04 II	15	(0)
2007–2018	Schalke 04	240	(12)
2017–2018	→ Juventus (loan)	3	(1)
2018–2020	Lokomotiv Moscow	35	(3)
Total		293	(16)
National team
2005–2006	Germany U18	3	(0)
2006–2007	Germany U19	16	(0)
2007	Germany U20	1	(0)
2007–2010	Germany U21	22	(3)
2011–2017	Germany	44	(2)
Teams managed
2021–	Germany (assistant)
Honours Men's football Representing  Germany FIFA World Cup Winner 2014 Brazil UEFA European Championship Bronze 2012 Poland–Ukraine UEFA European Under-21 Championship Winner 2009 Sweden
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Benedikt Höwedes (born 29 February 1988) is a German former professional footballer who played as a defender. He spent the majority of his playing career for Schalke 04, which he captained for six seasons, and represented the Germany national football team from 2011 to 2017. At international level, Höwedes won the World Cup with Germany in 2014, and was one of only three players to play every single minute of the tournament. Höwedes described himself as a 'multi-functional player' in the defence, who can play in the centre or as both a left or right-sided full back.

Club career

Schalke

Höwedes started playing football for his hometown club TuS Haltern in 1994. In 2001, he was transferred to the youth teams of FC Schalke 04. In 2003, he became captain of Schalke's under-19 team and as a member of that team he won the Under 19 Bundesliga in 2006.

In September 2007, the German Football Association honoured Höwedes with the Fritz Walter Medal as the best player of his age-group for the 2006–07 season.

In January 2007, he signed a professional contract with Schalke, which ran until 30 June 2010, he then joined Schalke's Bundesliga squad in July. Until October 2007, however, he only played for Schalke's second team in the Oberliga (fourth division).

Höwedes' first professional match was in the Champions League on 3 October 2007.

On 10 December 2008, Höwedes extended his contract which will keep him at the club until 30 June 2014. On 23 July 2011, Höwedes became captain of Schalke. On 9 March 2013, Höwedes extended his contract with Schalke, until 30 June 2017.

In May 2016, Höwedes was part of a collaboration between the German Football Association and The LEGO Group, who released a Europe-exclusive collectible minifigure series, with Höwedes featured as the fifth of sixteen minifigures in the collection.

Loan to Juventus

On 30 August 2017, Höwedes joined Juventus on a one-year loan deal for €3.5 million plus €3 million variables, with an option to buy for €13M. On 26 November, Höwedes made his Serie A and Juventus debut, in a 3–0 home win over Crotone. On 15 April 2018, he scored his first goal for Juventus in a 3–0 home win over Sampdoria. This was only his second appearance for the club, as his time in Italy was affected by numerous injuries.

Lokomotiv Moscow

On 29 July 2018, Höwedes left Schalke to join Lokomotiv Moscow. Lokomotiv announced the signing of a 4-year contract with Höwedes on 31 July 2018. On 7 October 2018, he scored his first goal for Lokomotiv late in a game against PFC CSKA Moscow, giving his team a 1–0 victory.

On 8 June 2020, his contract with Lokomotiv was terminated by mutual consent as he decided to return to Germany for family reasons.

Retirement

On 31 July 2020, Höwedes announced his retirement from professional football. Overall he played more than 275 top-flight matches in Germany, Italy and Russia.

International career

Höwedes challenging Ezequiel Lavezzi in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Final

Höwedes played for the under-18 team and under-19 team and appeared in all matches up to and including the semi-final at the 2007 UEFA European Under-19 Championship. On 5 September 2007, he made his first and only under-20 team appearance, due to the fact that he was turning out for the under-21 team on a regular basis.

He was a member of the squad which won the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship and started in Germany's 4–0 win against England in the final.

On 29 May 2011, he made his debut for the senior team in a friendly against Uruguay. On 7 June 2011, he played his first official match against Azerbaijan in UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying, Germany won the match 3–1, with Höwedes setting up the first goal, which was scored by Mesut Özil.

Höwedes was selected for the German squad for UEFA Euro 2012 but did not make an appearance in the tournament. On 15 August 2012, he scored his first goal in a 1–3 friendly defeat at home against Argentina.

After making three appearances during the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification, Höwedes was named in Germany's squad for the tournament finals. He was named in the starting line-up at left back against Portugal in the team's opening match, making his tournament debut. Later on, he won the tournament, along with his team. In the 2014 World Cup final, Höwedes went close to opening the scoring by hitting the goalpost with a header after a corner kick in the last seconds of the first half. Höwedes was also one of three German players who played every minute of all seven World Cup games, alongside goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and captain Philipp Lahm.

He won his last cap in March 2017. Benedikt Höwedes appeared 44 times for the DFB premium team.

Managerial career

In August 2021, it was announced that Höwedes will begin a trainee program containing the tasks of the Germany national football team's managerial position accompanying his UEFA master's degree. The program is scheduled to last until the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Style of play

A large, versatile, reliable, and tenacious defender, Höwedes was considered a defensive all-rounder, as he could be deployed in any defensive position. Höwedes's main playing position was at centre back, but he could also be deployed as a right or left-sided full back and as a right or left-sided wing-back, which were the main positions that Höwedes was deployed in under Jens Keller. In the early phase of his youth career, Höwedes mainly played as a defensive midfielder; after joining Schalke, however, with whom he began his professional football career, he played mainly as a left-back. Höwedes's main defensive strengths lay in his ability to win his oppositional one-on-one duels consistently, his fine heading ability, and his no-nonsense style of play. Höwedes's height and high-jumping ability also made him an aerial threat, and saw him both score and set-up goals with his head. Additionally, Höwedes was also known for his well-timed sliding tackles and standing tackles, as well as his good first-time passing, technique, positional sense, and great physical strength. Despite his ability as a defender, he often struggled with injuries throughout his career.

Career statistics

Club

Höwedes with Schalke in 2011

Ref.:

International

Höwedes with a header that hit the post in the 45th minute of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Final against Argentina

Ref.:

Scores and results lists Germany's goal tally first:

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	15 August 2012	Commerzbank-Arena, Frankfurt, Germany	Argentina	1–3	1–3	Friendly
2.	6 June 2014	Coface Arena, Mainz, Germany	Armenia	3–1	6–1	Friendly

Honours

Höwedes (front, third left) celebrates winning the 2014 World Cup with the Germany national team

Schalke 04

• DFB-Pokal: 2010–11
• DFL-Supercup: 2011

Juventus

• Serie A: 2017–18
• Coppa Italia: 2017–18

Lokomotiv Moscow

• Russian Cup: 2018–19

Germany U21

• UEFA European Under-21 Championship: 2009

Germany

• FIFA World Cup: 2014

Individual

• Fritz Walter Medal U19 Gold Medal: 2007

Personal life

Höwedes was born in Haltern, North Rhine-Westphalia, and he attended Gesamtschule Berger Feld.

He is married to childhood sweetheart; Lisa Wesseler and together they have one son; Bas who was born in October 2018.

See also

In Spanish: Benedikt Höwedes para niños