Christoph Kramer facts for kids
Kramer with Bayer Leverkusen in 2015
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Christoph Kramer | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 19 February 1991 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Solingen, Germany | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Defensive midfielder | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1999 | BV Gräfrath | |||||||||||||||
| 1999–2006 | Bayer Leverkusen | |||||||||||||||
| 2006–2008 | Fortuna Düsseldorf | |||||||||||||||
| 2008–2010 | Bayer Leverkusen | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
| 2009–2011 | Bayer Leverkusen II | 27 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2011–2016 | Bayer Leverkusen | 28 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2011–2013 | → VfL Bochum (loan) | 61 | (4) | |||||||||||||
| 2012 | → VfL Bochum II (loan) | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2013–2015 | → Borussia Mönchengladbach (loan) | 63 | (5) | |||||||||||||
| 2016–2024 | Borussia Mönchengladbach | 180 | (5) | |||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | Germany U19 | 5 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2010–2012 | Germany U20 | 4 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 2014–2016 | Germany | 12 | (0) | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13:21, 16 August 2024 (UTC) | ||||||||||||||||
Christoph Kramer (born on February 19, 1991) is a German professional footballer. He played as a defensive midfielder, a position that helps protect the team's defense. He is currently a player who is not signed to any club.
Kramer started his senior career with Bayer 04 Leverkusen's reserve team. He then joined their main team in 2011. He spent time on loan at VfL Bochum and Borussia Mönchengladbach. Later, he joined Mönchengladbach permanently from 2016 until 2024.
Christoph Kramer also played for the German national team. He made his first appearance in May 2014. That same year, he was part of the team that won the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Contents
Christoph Kramer's Football Journey
Starting Out: Youth Clubs
Christoph Kramer began playing football at a young age. He joined his local club, BV Graefrath, in 1995. When he was eight, he moved to Bayer 04 Leverkusen, a bigger club.
However, at 15, he was let go from Leverkusen's youth team. This was because he was considered a bit too short at the time. He then played for Fortuna Düsseldorf's youth squad for two years.
In 2008, Kramer returned to Leverkusen. He signed his first professional contract in 2010. He then played for Bayer 04 Leverkusen II, their reserve team, for the 2010–11 season.
Playing for VfL Bochum (on loan)
In 2011, Kramer was moved up to Leverkusen's main team. He was immediately loaned out to VfL Bochum, a team in Germany's second division.
He played his first professional game on July 18, 2011. He came on as a substitute in a match against Fortuna Düsseldorf. His first goal for Bochum was on February 25, 2012.
During his time at Bochum, Kramer was known for his strong tackling. He played in 61 league games and scored four goals. After his loan, he became a big fan of the club.
Playing for Borussia Mönchengladbach (on loan)
After two years with Bochum, Kramer joined Borussia Mönchengladbach in July 2013. This was also a loan deal, lasting two years.
He made his top-league debut in Germany, the Bundesliga, on August 9, 2013. He started in midfield against Bayern Munich. He scored his first goal for Gladbach in the next game, helping them win 3–0 against Hannover 96.
On May 3, 2014, Kramer scored another important goal. It helped Gladbach secure a spot in the UEFA Europa League for the next season.
After the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Kramer returned to Gladbach. In a game against Borussia Dortmund on November 9, he accidentally scored an own goal. This gave Dortmund a 1–0 win.
In December 2014, it was announced that Kramer would return to Leverkusen after his loan ended in summer 2015. His contract with Leverkusen was also extended.
Returning to Borussia Mönchengladbach
On June 8, 2016, Christoph Kramer made a permanent move back to Borussia Mönchengladbach. He signed a five-year contract with the club.
He played for Mönchengladbach for ten years in total. He made over 280 appearances for the club. In August 2024, Kramer and the club agreed to end his contract.
Playing for Germany
Just before his first full season in the Bundesliga ended, Kramer was called up to the Germany senior team. This was on May 8, 2014. He was part of a group of new players chosen for a friendly match against Poland.
He played the entire game, which ended in a 0–0 draw. The next day, he was named in the team's preliminary squad for the World Cup. He played his second game for Germany on June 1, 2014, against Cameroon. The day after, he was officially included in Germany's final team for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
The 2014 World Cup
Kramer played his first World Cup game in Germany's match against Algeria. He came on as a substitute late in the game.
He then started in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Final against Argentina. This was a surprise because another player, Sami Khedira, got injured just before the game. However, Kramer had to leave the game in the first half. He took a hit to the head during a collision. André Schürrle replaced him.
It was later found that Kramer might have had a concussion. The referee, Nicola Rizzoli, said that Kramer asked him if the match was the final, about 14 minutes after the collision. The referee then told another German player, and Kramer was taken off the field. This moment was later joked about by his teammates in a video.
Towards the end of his international career, Kramer was part of a fun project. In May 2016, the German Football Association and The LEGO Group released special collectible minifigures. Christoph Kramer was one of the 16 minifigures in this collection.
Christoph Kramer's Life Outside Football
Christoph Kramer went to school in Solingen, Germany. He finished his high school exams in 2010.
He was the first person from Solingen to play for the German national team in a World Cup. Four years later, during the 2018 FIFA World Cup, he appeared on German TV. He worked as a "TV expert," sharing his thoughts and analysis on the matches.
Career Statistics Summary
Christoph Kramer played many games throughout his career. Here's a quick look at his appearances and goals for different clubs and for the national team.
Club Appearances
- Bayer Leverkusen II: 27 games, 0 goals (2009–2011)
- VfL Bochum (loan): 61 games, 4 goals (2011–2013)
- VfL Bochum II (loan): 1 game, 0 goals (2012–2013)
- Borussia Mönchengladbach (loan): 63 games, 5 goals (2013–2015)
- Bayer Leverkusen: 28 games, 0 goals (2015–2016)
- Borussia Mönchengladbach: 180 games, 5 goals (2016–2024)
In total, he played 358 league games and scored 14 goals. Including cup and European matches, he played 431 games and scored 15 goals.
International Appearances
- Germany: 12 games, 0 goals (2014–2016)
Achievements
Germany
See also
In Spanish: Christoph Kramer para niños
