Simon Rolfes facts for kids
Rolfes in 2019
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 21 January 1982 | ||
| Place of birth | Ibbenbüren, West Germany | ||
| Height | 1.91 m | ||
| Playing position | Defensive midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Bayer Leverkusen (managing director of sport) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1986–1999 | TuS Recke | ||
| 1999–2000 | Werder Bremen | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2000–2004 | Werder Bremen II | 100 | (18) |
| 2002–2004 | Werder Bremen | 0 | (0) |
| 2003 | → SSV Reutlingen (loan) | 13 | (0) |
| 2004–2005 | Alemannia Aachen | 28 | (3) |
| 2005–2015 | Bayer Leverkusen | 288 | (41) |
| 2010 | → Bayer Leverkusen II | 1 | (0) |
| Total | 430 | (62) | |
| National team | |||
| 2002 | Germany U21 | 1 | (0) |
| 2004–2005 | Germany B | 3 | (0) |
| 2007–2011 | Germany | 26 | (2) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2018 | Bayer Leverkusen (academy manager) | ||
| 2018–2022 | Bayer Leverkusen (sporting director) | ||
| 2022– | Bayer Leverkusen (managing director of sport) | ||
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Simon Rolfes was born on January 21, 1982. He is a German football official and a former player. He used to play as a defensive midfielder, which is a player who helps protect the defense and also starts attacks. Today, he works as the managing director of sport for Bayer Leverkusen. This means he helps run the club and makes important decisions about the team.
Contents
Simon Rolfes's Football Journey
Starting His Career
Simon Rolfes began his football journey at Werder Bremen. He grew up playing in their youth teams. From 2000 to 2004, he played for the reserve team, which is like a second team for young players. He scored 18 goals in 100 league games for them.
In 2002, he got to play one game for the main Werder Bremen team in a European competition called the UEFA Cup. Later in 2003, he was loaned to SSV Reutlingen for a short time, where he played 13 games.
In 2004, Simon moved to Alemannia Aachen. He played 28 league games for them and scored three goals. He also played in the German Cup (DFB-Pokal) and the UEFA Cup for Alemannia Aachen.
Playing for Bayer Leverkusen
The year 2005 was a big one for Simon Rolfes. He joined Bayer Leverkusen, a famous German club. He quickly became a key player and a favorite among the fans. Soon after, he was made the team's captain, which is a big honor.
Simon played many games for Bayer Leverkusen. He appeared in 37 matches in his first season (2005–06) and continued to play a lot in the following years. He was a very important part of the team.
In 2009, Simon had a serious knee injury. This meant he missed many games during the 2009–10 season. He also missed the chance to play in the 2010 FIFA World Cup for Germany because of this injury.
He worked hard to get back to full fitness and returned to playing regularly in the 2010–11 season. Simon continued to be a strong player for Bayer Leverkusen until the end of his career. He played 288 league games for the club and scored 41 goals.
On December 7, 2014, Simon Rolfes announced that he would retire from playing football after the 2014–15 season. He had a long and successful career with Bayer Leverkusen.
Playing for Germany
Simon Rolfes first played for the German national team in a friendly game against Denmark on March 28, 2007.
He was part of the German team that finished second at Euro 2008. This means they reached the final but did not win the tournament. Simon played in the quarter-finals against Portugal and the semi-finals against Turkey, both of which Germany won.
Simon scored his first goal for Germany on September 6, 2008. It was in a game against Liechtenstein, which Germany won 6–0. He scored his second goal in a friendly match against Ukraine in 2011.
He was expected to play for Germany in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. However, he got injured and could not join the team for the big tournament.
Simon Rolfes's Family Life
Simon Rolfes married his wife, Jenny, on June 12, 2009. They have three daughters together.
