Kai Havertz facts for kids

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Kai Havertz
Personal information
Havertz with Germany in 2019
Full name	Kai Lukas Havertz
Date of birth	(1999-06-11) 11 June 1999 (age 26)
Place of birth	Aachen, Germany
Height	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder, Forward
Team information
Current team	Arsenal
Number	29
Youth career
2003–2009	Alemannia Mariadorf
2009–2010	Alemannia Aachen
2010–2016	Bayer Leverkusen
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2016–2020	Bayer Leverkusen	118	(36)
2020–2023	Chelsea	91	(19)
2023–	Arsenal	60	(22)
International career^‡
2014–2015	Germany U16	6	(0)
2015–2016	Germany U17	16	(2)
2017–2018	Germany U19	8	(7)
2018–	Germany	55	(20)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:11, 25 May 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:49, 19 November 2024 (UTC)

Kai Lukas Havertz, born on June 11, 1999, is a German professional football player. He plays as an attacking midfielder or forward for the English club Arsenal and the Germany national team.

Havertz joined Bayer Leverkusen's youth team in 2010. He made his first team debut in 2016. He became the club's youngest player to debut in the Bundesliga. He also became their youngest goalscorer the next year. Havertz holds records for being the youngest player to reach 50 and 100 league games in Germany's top league.

His great performances caught the eye of many European clubs. Chelsea signed him in 2020 for a large fee. With Chelsea, Havertz won the 2020–21 UEFA Champions League, 2021 UEFA Super Cup, and the 2021 FIFA Club World Cup. He scored the winning goals in the Champions League and Club World Cup finals. In June 2023, he moved to Arsenal.

After playing for Germany's youth teams, Havertz made his senior international debut in September 2018. He was the first player born in 1999 to play for the German national team. He has played for Germany in two UEFA European Championships (2020 and 2024) and the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He scored two goals in each of these tournaments.

Early Life
Club Career
International Career
- Youth Teams
- Senior National Team
Player Profile
- Style of Play
Personal Life
Career Statistics
- Club Appearances and Goals
- International Appearances and Goals
Honours and Awards
See also

Early Life

Kai Lukas Havertz was born on June 11, 1999, in Aachen, Germany. He grew up in Mariadorf, a part of Alsdorf. Later, his family moved to Aachen. His father, Ralf, is a policeman, and his mother, Anne, is a lawyer.

Club Career

Youth Football Journey

Havertz started playing football at age four. He joined a local club called Alemannia Mariadorf. His grandfather was the chairman there. In 2009, he moved to Alemannia Aachen, a club in the 2. Bundesliga. He spent only one year there before joining Bayer Leverkusen at age 11.

He faced challenges as he grew taller quickly. In 2016, he scored 18 goals for Leverkusen's U-17 team. He then received the silver Fritz Walter Medal for young players. Soon after, he joined Leverkusen's senior team.

Playing for Bayer Leverkusen

Havertz playing for Bayer Leverkusen in 2018

Havertz played his first game for Bayer Leverkusen on October 15, 2016. He came on as a substitute in a 2–1 loss to Werder Bremen. At 17 years and 126 days old, he became the club's youngest-ever player in the Bundesliga. This record was later broken by Florian Wirtz in 2020.

On February 17, 2017, he helped teammate Karim Bellarabi score the 50,000th Bundesliga goal. A few days later, he started his first Champions League game. This was against Atlético Madrid. He missed the return game because it was during his school exams.

Havertz scored his first goal for the club on April 2, 2017. It was a late goal in a 3–3 draw with VfL Wolfsburg. He became Leverkusen's youngest-ever goalscorer in the Bundesliga at 17. He played 28 games that season and scored four goals. Leverkusen finished 12th in the league.

On April 14, 2018, Havertz became the youngest player to reach 50 Bundesliga appearances. He was 18 years and 307 days old. He finished his second full season with 30 league games and three goals. Leverkusen ended the season in fifth place.

Havertz continued to play well the next season. By the middle of the season, he had started every game and scored six goals. On September 20, 2018, he scored his first two goals in European competitions. This was in a 3–2 win against Ludogorets Razgrad in the 2018–19 UEFA Europa League.

On January 26, 2019, he scored a penalty against Wolfsburg. He was 19 years old, making him Leverkusen's youngest penalty scorer. The next month, he became the second youngest player to reach 75 Bundesliga games. On April 13, he scored in his 100th game for Leverkusen. This goal was his 13th of the season. It made him the youngest player since 1967–68 to score 13 goals in one league season.

On May 5, he scored his 15th goal of the season in a 6–1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt. On the last day of the season, he scored his 17th goal against Hertha BSC. This made him the highest-scoring teenager in a single Bundesliga season. He was named runner-up for the German Footballer of the Year award.

At the start of the 2019–20 season, Havertz scored in Leverkusen's 3–2 win over Paderborn. He became the second-youngest player to score 25 Bundesliga goals. In December, at 20 years old, he became the youngest player to reach 100 Bundesliga appearances. In the 2019–20 UEFA Europa League, Havertz scored against Porto and Inter Milan.

Moving to Chelsea

Havertz playing for Chelsea in 2020

On September 4, 2020, Havertz signed a five-year contract with Premier League club Chelsea. The transfer fee was reported to be around £62 million. This made him Chelsea's second-most expensive signing at the time. On September 14, he played his first game for Chelsea against Brighton & Hove Albion. Chelsea won 3–1.

On September 23, Havertz scored his first career hat-trick for Chelsea. This was in a 6–0 win over Barnsley in the EFL Cup. He scored his first Premier League goal against Southampton on October 17. On November 4, 2020, it was announced that Havertz had tested positive for COVID-19.

On May 29, 2021, he scored the only goal in the 2021 UEFA Champions League final. This was his first Champions League goal. Chelsea beat Manchester City to win the title for the second time. On August 11, he won the UEFA Super Cup with Chelsea. They beat Villarreal on penalties. On August 28, he scored his first goal of the 2021–22 season against Liverpool.

On February 12, 2022, Havertz scored the winning goal in the FIFA Club World Cup Final. It was a penalty kick in the 117th minute. Chelsea won 2–1 against Palmeiras. On September 3, he scored the winning goal in a 2–1 home victory against West Ham United. On October 25, he scored the winner against Red Bull Salzburg. This win helped Chelsea qualify for the knockout stage of the Champions League.

Joining Arsenal

On June 28, 2023, Havertz joined fellow London club Arsenal. The fee was reported to be £65 million. He played his first game for Arsenal on July 13 in a pre-season draw. Six days later, Havertz scored in a 5–0 win in the 2023 MLS All-Star Game. On August 6, he made his first official appearance for Arsenal against Manchester City in the Community Shield. Arsenal won on penalties.

On September 30, Havertz scored his first goal for Arsenal. It was a penalty in a 4–0 win over Bournemouth. On November 25, he scored his first goal from open play for the club. It was the winning goal in a 1–0 win over Brentford. Four days later, Havertz scored his first Champions League goal for Arsenal in a 6–0 win against Lens.

On February 24, 2024, Havertz scored and assisted a goal in a 4–1 win over Newcastle United. On March 9, he scored the winning goal in a 2–1 win over Brentford. This made him the first German to score in four straight Premier League games. On the final day of the 2023–24 season, he scored the winning goal in a 2–1 victory over Everton. Arsenal finished second in the league. He ended his first season at Arsenal with 13 goals and seven assists in the Premier League.

On October 5, 2024, Havertz equaled Robin van Persie's record. He scored in 7 consecutive games at the Emirates Stadium. He scored against Southampton. This followed goals against Paris Saint-Germain, Leicester City, Bolton Wanderers, Brighton & Hove Albion, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Everton. On February 12, 2025, it was reported that Havertz would miss the rest of the 2024–25 season. He tore his hamstring during training in Dubai.

International Career

Youth Teams

Havertz first played for the Germany U16 team on November 11, 2014. This was a friendly match against the Czech Republic. Germany won 3–1.

Havertz was part of Germany's squad for the 2016 UEFA European Under-17 Championship in Azerbaijan. He played in all five of Germany's matches and scored once. Germany was knocked out by Spain in the semi-final.

After not playing for youth international teams for 15 months, Havertz joined Germany's U19 team. His first game was on August 31, 2017, a 0–0 draw against Switzerland. On October 4, 2017, in his third U19 game, Havertz scored four goals. This was in a 5–1 win against Belarus in a qualifying match. He later became the captain of the U19 team.

Senior National Team

Havertz with Germany in 2019

On August 29, 2018, Havertz was called up to the German senior team for the first time. This was by coach Joachim Löw. He was in the squad for a UEFA Nations League match against France and a friendly against Peru.

Havertz made his international debut on September 9, 2018. He came on as a substitute in the 88th minute against Peru. Germany won 2–1. He became the first player born in 1999 to play for the German national team. On May 19, 2021, he was chosen for the German squad for UEFA Euro 2020. On June 19, 2021, he scored Germany's third goal in a 4–2 win over Portugal at Euro 2020. He also scored in the final group game against Hungary, which helped Germany reach the knockout stage.

In November 2022, he was selected for the 2022 FIFA World Cup squad in Qatar. On December 1, he scored two goals in a 4–2 win over Costa Rica. However, Germany did not move past the group stage.

Havertz was named in Germany's squad for UEFA Euro 2024. In the first match on June 14, he played for 63 minutes. He assisted the second goal and scored the third from a penalty kick. Germany won 5–1 against Scotland.

Player Profile

Style of Play

Havertz is known as a very skilled attacking midfielder. He is comfortable using both feet and is good with his head. When he was younger, his playing style was compared to German player Mesut Özil. Havertz himself said Özil was a player he admired.

As he got older, people started comparing him to former Leverkusen players like Michael Ballack and Toni Kroos. Some even called him an Alleskönner, which means a player who can do everything. He has also been compared to Thomas Müller. Both players are good at finding open spaces and making smart runs. However, Havertz is seen as a more elegant and skillful player.

Havertz often plays in a "false nine" role. This means he plays as a forward but drops deeper to help with midfield play. He played this role a lot at Chelsea. During the 2021–22 season, he played in different positions. But he performed best when playing centrally as a forward or false nine.

Personal Life

Havertz has been in a relationship with German model Sophia Weber since 2018. They announced their engagement in July 2023. They got married on July 18, 2024. Their first child, a son, was born in March 2025.

Havertz is a fan of Toni Kroos, his former teammate from the German national team. He also admires former Barcelona players Ronaldinho and Andres Iniesta. Other favorite players include former Real Madrid players Zinedine Zidane and Kaká.

Career Statistics

Club Appearances and Goals

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National cup		League cup		Europe		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Bayer Leverkusen	2016–17	Bundesliga	24	4	1	0	—		3	0	—		28	4
	2017–18	Bundesliga	30	3	5	1	—		—		—		35	4
	2018–19	Bundesliga	34	17	2	0	—		6	3	—		42	20
	2019–20	Bundesliga	30	12	5	2	—		10	4	—		45	18
	Total		118	36	13	3	—		19	7	—		150	46
Chelsea	2020–21	Premier League	27	4	5	1	1	3	12	1	—		45	9
	2021–22	Premier League	29	8	3	0	3	2	9	3	3	1	47	14
	2022–23	Premier League	35	7	1	0	1	0	10	2	—		47	9
	Total		91	19	9	1	5	5	31	6	3	1	139	32
Arsenal	2023–24	Premier League	37	13	1	0	2	0	10	1	1	0	51	14
	2024–25	Premier League	23	9	1	0	4	2	8	4	—		36	15
	Total		60	22	2	0	6	2	18	5	1	0	87	29
Career total			269	77	24	4	11	7	68	18	4	1	376	107

International Appearances and Goals

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Germany	2018	2	0
	2019	5	1
	2020	3	1
	2021	13	5
	2022	10	5
	2023	9	2
	2024	13	6
Total		55	20

Germany score listed first, score column indicates score after each Havertz goal.

List of international goals scored by Kai Havertz
No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	9 October 2019	Westfalenstadion, Dortmund, Germany	6	Argentina	2–0	2–2	Friendly
2	13 October 2020	RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne, Germany	10	Switzerland	2–2	3–3	2020–21 UEFA Nations League A
3	25 March 2021	MSV-Arena, Duisburg, Germany	11	Iceland	2–0	3–0	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
4	19 June 2021	Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany	16	Portugal	3–1	4–2	UEFA Euro 2020
5	23 June 2021	Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany	17	Hungary	1–1	2–2	UEFA Euro 2020
6	11 October 2021	Toše Proeski Arena, Skopje, North Macedonia	22	North Macedonia	1–0	4–0	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
7	14 November 2021	Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium, Yerevan, Armenia	23	Armenia	1–0	4–1	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
8	26 March 2022	Rhein-Neckar-Arena, Sinsheim, Germany	24	Israel	1–0	2–0	Friendly
9	26 September 2022	Wembley Stadium, London, England	30	England	2–0	3–3	2022–23 UEFA Nations League A
10	26 September 2022	Wembley Stadium, London, England	30	England	3–3	3–3	2022–23 UEFA Nations League A
11	1 December 2022	Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, Qatar	33	Costa Rica	2–2	4–2	2022 FIFA World Cup
12	1 December 2022	Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, Qatar	33	Costa Rica	3–2	4–2	2022 FIFA World Cup
13	12 June 2023	Weserstadion, Bremen, Germany	35	Ukraine	2–3	3–3	Friendly
14	18 November 2023	Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany	41	Turkey	1–0	2–3	Friendly
15	23 March 2024	Parc Olympique Lyonnais, Lyon, France	43	France	2–0	2–0	Friendly
16	7 June 2024	Borussia-Park, Mönchengladbach, Germany	46	Greece	1–1	2–1	Friendly
17	14 June 2024	Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany	47	Scotland	3–0	5–1	UEFA Euro 2024
18	29 June 2024	Westfalenstadion, Dortmund, Germany	50	Denmark	1–0	2–0	UEFA Euro 2024
19	7 September 2024	Merkur Spiel-Arena, Düsseldorf, Germany	52	Hungary	5–0	5–0	2024–25 UEFA Nations League A
20	16 November 2024	Europa-Park Stadion, Freiburg, Germany	54	Bosnia and Herzegovina	3–0	7–0	2024–25 UEFA Nations League A