Gerald Asamoah facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Gerald Asamoah

Asamoah in 2016
Personal information
Full name	Gerald Asamoah
Date of birth	(1978-10-03) 3 October 1978 (age 46)
Place of birth	Mampong, Ghana
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Youth career
1990	VfV Hainholz
1990–1991	SG Borken
1991–1994	BV Werder Hannover
1994–1996	Hannover 96
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1996–1999	Hannover 96	79	(28)
1999–2010	Schalke 04	279	(44)
2004	Schalke 04 II	1	(0)
2010–2011	FC St. Pauli	27	(6)
2012–2013	Greuther Fürth	27	(5)
2013–2015	Schalke 04 II	49	(8)
Total		462	(91)
International career
2001–2006	Germany	43	(6)
Managerial career
2016–2021	Schalke 04 II
Medal record Men's football Representing  Germany FIFA World Cup Runner-up 2002 Korea/Japan Third 2006 Germany
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Gerald Asamoah (born 3 October 1978) is a German football expert and former professional player. He currently works as the first-team manager for Schalke 04.

During his time as a player, Asamoah was a forward. He was known for his speed, strength, and hard work on the field. He spent most of his career with Schalke 04. Fans loved him not just for his skills, but also for his positive attitude and for being a leader off the pitch.

After he stopped playing, Asamoah continued to work in Gelsenkirchen. He took on different jobs in management and administration over the years.

Early Life and Start in Football

Born in Mampong, Ghana, Gerald Asamoah moved to Germany with his family in 1990.

He quickly started playing football for local teams. At 16, he joined the youth academy of Hannover 96.

Playing Career Highlights

Starting at Hannover 96

Asamoah began his professional career with Hannover 96. In his first season, he scored five goals. The next year, he scored 19 goals in 33 games. This helped Hannover get into the play-offs to move up to the 2. Bundesliga. They won their play-off match after a penalty shootout. Overall, Asamoah played 79 games for Hannover and scored 28 goals.

Time with Schalke 04

In 1999, Asamoah joined Schalke 04. He quickly became a fan favorite. This was because of his skills, his good relationships with teammates, and his positive impact on the team. He helped Schalke win many titles in the early 2000s.

Asamoah training with Schalke 04 in March 2007

With Schalke, he helped the team qualify for the UEFA Champions League. They also won two German Cups in a row (in 2001 and 2002). They also won two UEFA Intertoto Cups (in 2003 and 2004) and a German League Cup in 2005.

Asamoah left Schalke in 2010. He had played 381 games for the club over eleven years, scoring 64 goals.

Later Years as a Player

Playing for St. Pauli

On 1 June 2010, Asamoah signed with FC St. Pauli, a team that had just moved up to the Bundesliga. He played regularly and scored six goals. One of his goals helped his team win an away game against their rivals, Hamburger SV, for the first time since 1977. However, St. Pauli was moved back down to the 2. Bundesliga that season. Asamoah then decided to leave the club in June 2011.

Time with Greuther Fürth

Asamoah celebrating Greuther Fürth's historical promotion in Bundesliga with his team-mates and head coach Mike Büskens in April 2012

After being without a club for six months, Asamoah joined Greuther Fürth in January 2012. He helped the team win the 2. Bundesliga title. This meant Greuther Fürth was promoted to the Bundesliga for the first time in their history.

The next year, 2012–13, was tougher. Asamoah did not score any goals that season. Greuther Fürth finished last in the league. This was Asamoah's last season playing in the Bundesliga.

Returning to Schalke and Retirement

On 15 July 2013, Asamoah returned to Schalke 04. He became a player-coach for their reserve team, Schalke 04 II.

He played one more game for Schalke's main team in a German Cup match in 2013. He then played regularly for the reserve team before announcing his retirement in 2015.

International Career with Germany

Asamoah training with the Germany national team in June 2005

In May 2001, Gerald Asamoah was called up to play for the Germany national team. He played his first international game against Slovakia. He was the first African-born black player to play for the German national team. He even scored a goal in his first game!

He played in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups. He played a total of 43 games for Germany and scored six goals.

Life After Playing: Managerial Roles

After retiring as a player, Asamoah stayed with Schalke. In July 2015, he became an assistant coach for the club's U-15 team. He also earned his UEFA A coaching license. In November 2016, he became the head coach of Schalke's U23 team.

He also worked as the team manager for the main senior team for a few months in 2019. In February 2021, he was made a coordinator for the first team. His job was to connect the players, coaches, and club leaders.

In May 2021, Asamoah was appointed as Schalke's first-team manager. He works closely with the head coach.

Personal Life and Important Causes

Gerald Asamoah is married and has two children, who are twins born in 2007.

He has a heart condition called non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This means a part of his heart is thicker than usual. While it didn't stop him from playing, it sometimes made it hard for him to stay fit.

Asamoah is a strong supporter of important causes. In 2016, he accepted the FIFA Fair Play Award for his work helping refugees.

He also leads educational programs in schools and speaks out against racism. In 2019, he criticized comments made by a Schalke board member that were seen as racist. In 2020, he spoke out against racist insults directed at an opposing player by some Schalke fans. He also supported the protests against racism around the world, saying, "If you have never experienced racism, you'll never find out what that truly means. It's a pain you carry inside yourself and you can't swallow it. I'll work even harder to visit schools and teach young people that we're all the same."

In 2021, he was in a documentary called Schwarze Adler [de]. This film shared the experiences of Black players in German professional football.

Career Statistics Summary

Club Appearances and Goals

International Appearances and Goals

Awards and Honours

Schalke 04

• DFB-Pokal: 2001, 2002
• DFL-Ligapokal: 2005
• UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2003, 2004

Greuther Fürth

• 2. Bundesliga: 2012

Germany National Team

• FIFA World Cup runner-up: 2002
• FIFA World Cup third place: 2006
• FIFA Confederations Cup third place: 2005

See also

In Spanish: Gerald Asamoah para niños