Leon Goretzka facts for kids
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Goretzka with Germany in 2019
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 6 February 1995 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Bochum, Germany | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.89 m | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current club | Bayern Munich | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2001 | Werner SV 06 Bochum | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2012 | VfL Bochum | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2013 | VfL Bochum | 32 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2018 | Schalke 04 | 116 | (14) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015 | Schalke 04 II | 1 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018– | Bayern Munich | 168 | (34) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | Germany U16 | 10 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | Germany U17 | 17 | (5) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2014 | Germany U19 | 3 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2015 | Germany U21 | 10 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016 | Germany Olympic | 1 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014– | Germany | 57 | (14) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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† Appearances (Goals). |
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Leon Christoph Goretzka (born on February 6, 1995) is a German professional footballer. He plays as a midfielder for the German club Bayern Munich. He also plays for the Germany national team.
Leon started his career with VfL Bochum in 2012. He then played over 100 games in the Bundesliga for Schalke 04. In 2018, he joined Bayern Munich. Since 2014, he has played more than 50 times for the German national team. He represented his country in the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and UEFA Euro 2020. He also won a silver medal with the Germany Olympic team at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Contents
Club Career
Starting at VfL Bochum
Leon Goretzka began playing football in 1999 with Werner SV 06 Bochum. After two years, he moved to VfL Bochum in 2001.
In 2012, Leon received the gold Fritz Walter Medal for under-17 players. This award is given to top young German footballers. On August 4, 2012, he played his first professional game for Bochum. This was in the 2. Bundesliga against Dynamo Dresden.
Leon had a great season in 2012–13. He was a top player for Bochum, helping them avoid being moved down to a lower league. Many big clubs like Bayern Munich and Manchester United were interested in him.
Moving to Schalke 04
On June 30, 2013, Schalke 04 announced that Leon would join their team. He signed a five-year contract. The transfer fee was about €3.25 million.
First Season at Schalke (2013–14)
In his first season, Leon played well, scoring five goals in 32 games. He became a regular player and helped Schalke finish third in the Bundesliga. After this season, he was called up to the German national team's training squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He played his first game for Germany in a friendly match against Poland.
Dealing with Injuries (2014–15)
During the 2014–15 season, Leon played only 11 games because of a thigh injury. He returned to play in March 2015. Schalke finished sixth in the Bundesliga that season.
Getting Back to Form (2015–16)
In the 2015–16 season, Leon scored two goals in 34 games. He was fit at the start of the season but had some injuries later. He also changed his diet to avoid certain foods. This helped him recover faster after games.
Best Season at Schalke (2016–17)
The 2016–17 season was Leon's best at Schalke. He played 41 games and scored eight goals. He played in a more attacking role, which suited him well. During a game against Ajax, he got a head injury but kept playing almost the whole match. Schalke finished 10th in the Bundesliga that season.
Last Season at Schalke (2017–18)
In the 2017–18 season, Leon played 29 games and scored four goals. He helped Schalke finish second in the Bundesliga, which meant they qualified for the UEFA Champions League. In November 2017, he played his 100th Bundesliga game for Schalke.
In January 2018, Leon announced he would leave Schalke to join rivals Bayern Munich. Some fans and club officials were not happy with his decision.
Joining Bayern Munich
First Seasons at Bayern (2018–20)
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On July 1, 2018, Leon Goretzka officially joined Bayern Munich. He signed a four-year contract. His first game for Bayern was in the DFL Super Cup in August 2018. On September 1, he scored his first goal for the club. In January 2019, he scored two goals in one game for the first time in the Bundesliga.
On May 18, 2019, Leon won his first Bundesliga title with Bayern. A week later, he won his first DFB-Pokal (German Cup). He was injured and did not play in the final.
On November 26, 2019, Leon scored his first goal in the UEFA Champions League. He played a very important role in Bayern's amazing season, where they won three major trophies. He often played in midfield with Joshua Kimmich.
Recent Years at Bayern (2020–2024)
On September 24, 2020, Leon scored a goal in the 2020 UEFA Super Cup, helping Bayern win 2–1. In April 2021, he missed some games due to muscle problems. However, he still won his third Bundesliga title in a row that season.
Before the 2021–22 season, Leon took over the number 8 shirt. On August 17, 2021, he won the 2021 DFL-Super Cup with Bayern. A month later, he signed a new contract to stay with the club until 2026.
On October 12, 2022, he scored two goals in a Champions League game. This win helped Bayern qualify for the next stage of the competition. On January 24, 2024, he played his 200th game for Bayern. In May 2024, he was not chosen for the German squad for UEFA Euro 2024.
International Career
Youth Teams
On October 15, 2010, Leon Goretzka played his first game for the Germany U16 team. He scored a goal in their 3–2 win. In August 2011, he debuted for the Germany U17 team.
In May 2012, he was the captain of the Germany U17 team at the 2012 UEFA European Under-17 Championship. He led the team to the final, where they played against the Netherlands. Leon scored the first goal in the final, but the game ended in a draw. The Netherlands won after a penalty shootout. In August 2013, he played his first game for the Germany U21 team.
Leon was asked to play for the Poland national team, but he said no. He did not know of any Polish family background.
Olympic Team
Leon was chosen to play for the German Olympic team at the 2016 Summer Olympics. He was the captain in their first match against Mexico. However, he got a shoulder injury and had to leave the tournament early.
Senior National Team
On May 8, 2014, Leon was named in the training squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He played his first game for the senior team on May 13, 2014, in a 0–0 draw against Poland. He later had to leave the World Cup squad due to a muscle injury.
In May 2017, Leon was part of Germany's squad for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia. He scored his first goal for Germany in their opening match against Australia. He also scored two goals against Mexico in the semi-finals. Leon was one of the top scorers in the tournament with three goals. Germany won the competition, beating Chile in the final.
On June 4, 2018, Leon was in Germany's final squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He played his first World Cup game against South Korea. Germany was knocked out in the first round of the tournament. In May 2021, he was chosen for the UEFA Euro 2020 squad. He scored an important goal against Hungary that saved Germany from being eliminated. In November 2022, he was selected for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Playing Style
Leon Goretzka is known as one of the most talented German footballers. His former coach, Peter Neururer, called him the "talent of the century." Leon is good at scoring goals and has excellent ball control. He can also make great passes to his teammates.
He often takes powerful shots from outside the penalty area. He is also known for his strong heading ability, scoring many goals with his head. At 1.89 meters tall, Leon can jump very high, which helps him win aerial battles against tall defenders.
His main position is a central midfielder. This means he plays in the middle of the field, helping both defense and attack. He can also play as a defensive midfielder, helping protect the defense. Sometimes, he plays as a right winger (on the side of the field) or a playmaker (a player who creates scoring chances). Many people compare his playing style to famous German footballers like Lothar Matthäus and Michael Ballack.
Personal Life
Leon Goretzka was born in Bochum, Germany. He finished high school and graduated from a vocational school in Bochum. His father, Konrad, is an engineer. His mother, Katharina, worked as a business manager.
In 2020, Leon and his Bayern Munich teammate Joshua Kimmich started an online project called "We Kick Corona." They raised money to help charities and medical groups during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Leon is also active against hate crimes. He has visited the Dachau Holocaust memorial and met with Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer. He has spoken out against certain political parties that he believes spread harmful ideas.
Besides football, Leon has also invested in a marketing company. In 2020, he started a real estate company with his girlfriend.
Honours
Bayern Munich
- Bundesliga: 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23
- DFB-Pokal: 2018–19, 2019–20
- DFL-Supercup: 2018, 2020, 2021
- UEFA Champions League: 2019–20
- UEFA Super Cup: 2020
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2020
Germany U17
- UEFA European Under-17 Championship runner-up: 2012
Germany Olympic
- Summer Olympic Games silver medal: 2016
Germany
Individual Awards
- Fritz Walter Medal U17 Gold: 2012
- FIFA Confederations Cup Silver Boot: 2017
- FIFA Confederations Cup Bronze Ball: 2017
- UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2019–20
- Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2017–18, 2020–21
- kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2020–21
- VDV Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2020–21
Images for kids
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Goretzka with Germany in 2019
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Goretzka training for Schalke 04 in 2013
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Goretzka training for Schalke 04 in 2015
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Goretzka with Bayern Munich in 2019
See also
In Spanish: Leon Goretzka para niños
