Per Mertesacker facts for kids
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Mertesacker with Arsenal in 2018
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Per Mertesacker | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 29 September 1984 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Hanover, West Germany | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Centre back | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Current team
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Arsenal Academy (manager) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1988–1995 | TSV Pattensen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–2003 | Hannover 96 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2004 | Hannover 96 II | 16 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2006 | Hannover 96 | 74 | (7) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2011 | Werder Bremen | 147 | (12) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2018 | Arsenal | 156 | (6) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 393 | (26) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003 | Germany U20 | 2 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004 | Germany U21 | 3 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2014 | Germany | 104 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018– | Arsenal Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019 | Arsenal (interim assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Per Mertesacker (born 29 September 1984) is a German football coach and former professional player. He played as a centre back, which is a defensive position. He is currently the manager of the Arsenal Academy.
Mertesacker started his professional career at Bundesliga club Hannover 96 in November 2003. He quickly became known for his excellent discipline, playing many games without getting a yellow card. After playing 74 league matches for Hannover, he moved to Werder Bremen in 2006. At Bremen, he was known for his ability to read the game and stop opposing attacks. He helped Bremen win the German Cup in 2009 and reach the final of the UEFA Cup.
In 2011, Mertesacker moved to Premier League club Arsenal. He quickly became a key defender for the team. He formed a strong partnership with fellow defender Laurent Koscielny. Together, they helped Arsenal win the FA Cup in 2014, ending the club's nine-year wait for a trophy. He later captained Arsenal and scored in their FA Cup win in 2015. He became the club's official captain in 2016 and won the FA Cup again in 2017. Injuries affected the end of his career at Arsenal, and he retired in 2018.
For his country, Mertesacker played for Germany's under-20 and under-21 teams. He made his debut for the senior German national team in 2004. He was Germany's main centre back for ten years. He played in the UEFA European Championship in 2008 and 2012. He also played in the 2006, 2010, and 2014 FIFA World Cups, winning the World Cup in 2014. He retired from international football after this victory.
Mertesacker has also started a charity called "Per Mertesacker Stiftung." This foundation helps amateur athletes and people in need. After retiring from playing, he became a coach at the Arsenal Academy.
Contents
Early Life and Youth Football
Per Mertesacker grew up in Pattensen, a small town near Hanover, Germany. He was the second of three sons. He started playing football with his brothers at a local amateur club called TSV Pattensen. Later, he joined Hannover 96, where his father was a part-time coach.
As a young player, Mertesacker was not seen as a future professional footballer. He focused on his studies and planned to go to college. He completed his 'Abitur' (a German high school diploma) at Carl-Friedrich-Gauß-Schule. This school was known for its sports program. He also did his 'Zivildienst' (community service) at a center for people with disabilities in Hanover.
Club Career Highlights
Hannover 96 Years
Mertesacker joined the youth system of Hannover 96. He played under his father, Stefan, who was a youth coach. He was promoted to the first team for the 2003–04 season. He made his first league appearance in November 2003 against Cologne. He played as a right-back, which was a new position for him. At first, he struggled and was substituted at half-time. He even thought about quitting football.
However, he returned to the first team later that season and helped Hannover 96 avoid being relegated. In August 2004, he scored his first professional goal against Borussia Dortmund. He became the team's main centre back. His strong performances and fair play caught the eye of the German national team coach, Jürgen Klinsmann. Mertesacker made his senior international debut in October 2004.
German newspapers called him "the Defence Pole" because of his height. He was also known as "Mr. Clean" because he rarely received yellow cards. He played his last game for Hannover 96 on 13 May 2006, scoring a goal in a 2–2 draw.
During his time at Hannover 96, he became good friends with the late goalkeeper Robert Enke. Mertesacker later set up a special fund through his foundation to help Enke's widow after his passing. In October 2018, Mertesacker held a special charity match in Hanover. It featured his former teammates from Hannover 96, Arsenal, Werder Bremen, and the German national team. He chose Hanover because it was where his football journey began.
Werder Bremen Success
In August 2006, Mertesacker moved to Werder Bremen. This happened after he played very well in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He quickly became a key player in Bremen's defense. In November, he scored his first Champions League goal in a 1–0 win against Chelsea. When he played against Hannover 96, his old club, he chose not to celebrate his goal out of respect.
The 2007–08 season was busy for Mertesacker. He played in almost all of Bremen's league and European games. Bremen finished second in the league, which earned them a spot in the UEFA Champions League. After the season, he signed a new contract with the club.
In the 2008–09 season, Mertesacker helped Bremen reach the DFB-Pokal final, which they won. He also played a big part in their run to the UEFA Cup final. However, he got an ankle injury and missed the end of the season, including both finals. He scored four goals in all competitions that season.
He continued to play well in the 2009–10 and 2010–11 seasons. He scored five goals in the 2009–10 season. Over his last two seasons at Bremen, he received only one yellow card in 63 league matches. This showed how good he was at reading the game and avoiding fouls.
Arsenal Journey
On 31 August 2011, Arsenal signed Mertesacker. He was given the number 4 shirt. In his first few months, he played in almost every game, forming a strong partnership with Laurent Koscielny. He helped Arsenal win against teams like Sunderland, Stoke City, and Chelsea. He was praised for his strong defensive performances.
In February 2012, Mertesacker suffered a serious ankle injury. This required surgery and kept him out for the rest of the season. He worked hard to recover and came back strong for his second season.
In October 2012, Mertesacker continued to play well. His teammate Laurent Koscielny praised him, saying he was "very important in the dressing room." In November, he scored his first goal for Arsenal in a 5–2 win against Tottenham Hotspur. He also captained Arsenal for the first time in an FA Cup game in January 2013.
Mertesacker was a key player in March 2013, playing every minute of Arsenal's four games. He helped the team keep clean sheets against Bayern Munich and Swansea City. In April, he scored the only goal in a win against Fulham. His partnership with Koscielny was highly praised by their goalkeeper, Wojciech Szczęsny.
For the 2013–14 season, Mertesacker became the temporary captain due to injuries to other players. He scored his first goal of the season against Stoke. His strong performances helped Arsenal have an excellent start to the season. He was even named in the Premier League Team of the Year. In March 2014, Mertesacker signed a new contract with Arsenal.
On 12 April 2014, Mertesacker scored an important goal in the FA Cup semi-final against Wigan Athletic. Arsenal won the match after a penalty shootout. On 17 May 2014, he started in the 2014 FA Cup Final as Arsenal beat Hull City 3–2 to win the FA Cup.
After recovering from injuries in the 2014–15 season, he captained Arsenal in the 2015 FA Cup Final. Arsenal won 4–0 against Aston Villa, and Mertesacker scored the third goal with a header. He remained a key part of Arsenal's defense. Manager Arsène Wenger called him an "important leader." In January 2016, he received a red card in a match against Chelsea.
In the 2016–17 season, Mertesacker suffered a knee injury before the season started. Despite this, he was named club captain. He made his only start of the season in the 2017 FA Cup Final against Chelsea, which Arsenal won 2–1. His performance in that final was highly praised, even by the opposing manager.
Arsenal announced that the 2017–18 season would be Mertesacker's last as a player. He played his final game for the club in a win against Burnley on 6 May 2018.
International Career for Germany
In September 2004, Jürgen Klinsmann, the manager of the German national team, called Mertesacker up. He made his debut on 9 October 2004, shortly after his 20th birthday. He came on as a substitute against Iran.
Mertesacker quickly became Germany's main centre back. At the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup in Germany, he played in all five games. He scored his first international goal against Australia. Germany finished in third place.
At the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, Mertesacker played in central defense. Germany finished third in the tournament. After the World Cup, he had surgery on his leg and missed the third-place play-off.
Mertesacker was a regular starter during the 2008 European Championship qualification and the final tournament. He also played in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He usually wore the number 17 jersey for Germany.
He was part of the squad for the 2012 European Championship but did not play. He scored his second international goal for Germany on 17 October 2012, in a 2014 World Cup qualifier against Sweden. In November 2013, Mertesacker captained Germany and scored the winning goal against England at Wembley Stadium.
During the 2014 World Cup qualification, Mertesacker scored two goals. He became Germany's first-choice centre back again. He was called up for the World Cup squad and played in almost every match as Germany won the tournament. He earned his 100th cap (international appearance) during the group stage match against Ghana. On 15 August 2014, Mertesacker announced his retirement from international football.
During the 2014 World Cup, Mertesacker became famous online for a post-match interview. After a tough win against Algeria, he was visibly tired. When asked about the team's defense, he famously said, "What do you want from me? [...] I'll lie down in the ice bath for three days and then we'll analyze the game in peace." This interview, known as the "Ice Bath Interview," went viral. Fans and teammates praised his honesty. Mertesacker later posted a picture of himself in an ice bath on Twitter as a joke. This interview was seen as a turning point for the team's mindset.
Life After Playing Football
Per Mertesacker was named the new manager of the Arsenal Academy before the 2017–18 season. He officially started this role in July 2018. He also started a coaching program with Save the Children. This program helps provide football pitches and training for coaches in refugee camps. In November 2019, he briefly served as an interim assistant manager for Arsenal's first team.
Mertesacker also works as a football expert for German TV. He joined DAZN Germany in 2018 to cover the UEFA Champions League. In 2020, he moved to ZDF, a public broadcaster. He appears as an expert for their coverage of the Euros, DFB-Pokal, German national team games, and the Champions League final. He often works alongside his former Germany teammate Christoph Kramer.
How He Played the Game
Per Mertesacker is very tall, standing at 1.98 meters (about 6 feet 6 inches). This made him excellent at winning balls in the air. He was also good at defending on the ground, using his strength to take the ball from opponents. Even though some people thought he was slow, he made up for it with his amazing positioning and ability to read the game. This meant he could make clean interceptions and clearances, and he rarely committed fouls or got yellow cards.
Mertesacker also had good technique and was a strong organizer in defense. He was good at passing the ball. He often played alongside a faster defender who could cover more ground, like Mats Hummels for Germany or Laurent Koscielny at Arsenal.
Personal Life
Mertesacker met his wife, Ulrike Stange, in 2008. She was a German international handball player. They met while both were recovering from injuries. They got married in June 2013 and have two sons. Mertesacker is a Protestant Christian.
In a 2018 interview, Mertesacker spoke about the big pressure professional athletes face. He said he sometimes felt very stressed because of the need to perform well. He continued playing because he loved the sport and wanted to win trophies. He was praised for being honest about this sensitive topic. His comments helped start a discussion in Germany about the mental well-being of professional footballers.
Beyond Football
In November 2006, Mertesacker started the "Per Mertesacker Foundation." It first supported the family of his former teammate Robert Enke. After Enke's death, the foundation began helping people with depression. It has since grown to support disadvantaged children, especially those from immigrant backgrounds, in Hanover.
Since 2007, the foundation has organized yearly charity football matches. These matches have featured famous players like Philipp Lahm and Lukas Podolski. They also include comedians and musicians. T-shirts with the phrase "Big F***ing German" (a fan chant for him) are sold to raise money for the foundation.
Mertesacker also co-owns a real estate agency in Hanover called CP Immobilien GmbH. He started this business with his former teammate Clemens Fritz in 2012, planning for their lives after football.
Honours and Achievements
Werder Bremen
- DFB-Pokal: 2008–09 (Winner)
- UEFA Cup runner-up: 2008–09
Arsenal
- FA Cup: 2013–14, 2014–15, 2016–17 (Winner)
- FA Community Shield: 2015, 2017 (Winner)
- EFL Cup runner-up: 2017–18
Germany National Team
- FIFA World Cup: 2014 (Winner), 2006 (Third Place), 2010 (Third Place)
- UEFA European Championship: 2008 (Runner-up)
Individual Awards
- kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2007–08
See also
In Spanish: Per Mertesacker para niños
