Leon Goretzka

Leon Goretzka

Goretzka training with Schalke 04 in 2015
Personal information
Date of birth (1995-02-06) 6 February 1995
Place of birth Bochum, Germany
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 1⁄2 in)
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Schalke 04
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– Schalke 04 71 (7)
2015 Schalke 04 II 1 (0)
National team‡
2010–2011 Germany U16 10 (2)
2011–2012 Germany U17 17 (5)
2012–2014 Germany U19 3 (0)
2013– Germany U21 9 (1)
2016 Germany Olympic 1 (0)
2014– Germany 3 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:31, 4 December 2016 (UTC).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 22:00, 15 November 2016 (UTC)

Leon Goretzka (German pronunciation: [ˈlɛ.ɔn ˈɡor.ʀɛts.kaː]; born 6 February 1995) is a German professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Schalke 04.[1][2][3]

Club career

VfL Bochum

In 1999, Goretzka started his career with Werner SV 06 Bochum. He stayed for two years with the WSV before making the move to the VfL Bochum in 2001.[2] On 15 November 2010, Goretzka made his debut for the German under-16 national team against Northern Ireland in Göttingen.[4] On 24 August 2011, Goretzka made his debut for the German under-17 national team against Turkey in Kelsterbach.[5] Goretzka subsequently captained the German under-17 national team during the 2012 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship qualifying round and the 2012 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship.

On 30 July 2012, Goretzka was awarded the 2012 under-17 Fritz Walter Medal in gold.[6] On 4 August 2012, Goretzka made his professional debut for the VfL Bochum in the 2. Bundesliga against Dynamo Dresden in the rewirpowerSTADION.[7] On 14 August 2012, Goretzka made his debut for the German under-19 national team against Scotland in Falkirk.[8]

Schalke 04

In June 2013, he signed a contract with Bundesliga side Schalke 04.[9] On 13 August 2013, Goretzka made his debut for the German under-21 national team against France in Freiburg im Breisgau.[10] On 8 May 2014, he was named to the 30-man provisional squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup by German national team manager, Joachim Löw.

On 11 July 2013, FC Schalke 04 confirmed that Goretzka signed a five-year professional contract with them until 30 June 2018.[11] The transfer fee is reported as €3,000,000 to €4,000,000 by Schalke's sport and communications manager Horst Heldt.[11] Leon Goretzka was assigned a number 8 shirt, previously worn by Ciprian Marica.[11]

International career

Youth

On 15 October 2010, Goretzka made his Germany national U-16 football team debut in a friendly against Northern Ireland and he scored in the 3–2 victory.[12][13] On 24 August 2011, Goretzka made his Germany national U-17 football team debut against Turkey in a 4–0 victory.[14] In May 2012, he captained the Germany national U-17 football team at the 2012 UEFA U-17 Football Championship in Slovenia and led the German U-17 team all the way to the final against the Netherlands.[15] In the final, Goretzka scored the lead goal of the match taking the scoreline to 1–0 and his goal was compensated in stoppage time taking the scoreline to 1–1; the subsequent penalty shoot-out was won by the Netherlands.[15] On 8 August 2013, he debuted for the Germany national U-21 football team under Horst Hrubesch, in a 0–0 draw against France in which he had a magnificent match.[16]

Senior

On 8 May 2014, Goretzka was inducted into the 30-man preliminary squad of the German national football team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup by Germany's manager, Joachim Löw.[17] On 13 May 2014, he made his debut in a 0–0 draw against the Poland national football team.[18] After Germany's match against the Poland, in which Goretzka had suffered a muscle injury, he was removed from the team's preparatory training camp and final squad for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.[19]

Olympic team

Alongside Schalke teammate Max Meyer, Goretzka was named in the squad for the 2016 Summer Olympics.[20] He captained Germany in their first match against Mexico, but picked up a shoulder injury, and returned to Gelsenkirchen.[21]

Playing style

Goretzka is referred to as one of the brightest football talents in German football.[22][23] Peter Neururer, Goretzka's head coach at VfL Bochum, said that he had "never seen an eighteen year old footballer which had a potential as Goretzka" and titled him as the "talent of the century".[24] Goretzka has a potent eye for scoring goals and is known to possess good ball control ability and also has the ability to pick out passes for his team-mates.[25] Goretzka produces powerful shots from outside the penalty area, a trait similar to that of Paul Scholes.[25] He is also well known for his excellent heading ability which sees him often score headed goals.[25] At 6 feet 2 inches, Goretzka's high-jumping ability helps him to win aerial battles even against the strongest and tallest defenders.[23] Goretzka's can be deployed as a defensive midfielder, as well as a left or right winger and in the position of playmaker.[23][26]

Career statistics

Club statistics

As of 11 November 2016[2]
Club performance League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League App. Goals App. Goals App. Goals App. Goals
Germany League DFB-Pokal Europe Total
2012–13VfL Bochum2. Bundesliga32440—364
2013–14FC Schalke 04Bundesliga2542150325
2014–151000010120
2015–162512170342
2016–17810031112
Total Germany 100108216112413
Career total 100108216112413

International statistics

National teamYearApp.GoalsRef.
Germany 201410 [27]
201620
Total30
Last updated: 15 November 2016

Honours

International

Germany

Individual

Personal life

Goretzka completed his Abitur and graduated from the Alice-Salomon-Berufskolleg (Alice-Salomon-Vocational School) in Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia.[29] Goretzka's father Konrad Goretzka is an automotive engineer and electrical engineer for Opel.[30]

References

  1. ↑ "Leon Goretzka" (in German). fussballdaten.de. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 "Goretzka, Leon" (in German). kicker. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  3. ↑ "Goretzka verlässt den VfL" [Goretzka leaves the VfL] (in German). VfL Bochum. 30 June 2013. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  4. ↑ "Statistik: Deutschland U16 – Nordirland U16 3:2 (2:1)" [Statistic: Germany U16 – Northern Ireland U16 3–2 (2–1)] (in German). German Football Association. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  5. ↑ "Statistik: Deutschland U17 – Türkei U17 4:0 (1:0)" [Statistic: Germany U17 – Turkey U17 4–0 (1–0)] (in German). German Football Association. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  6. ↑ [http://www.dfb.de/index.php?id=511739&tx_dfbnews_pi1[showUid]=35370 "Fritz-Walter-Medaille für Goretzka, Ginter, Rüdiger und Lotzen" [Fritz-Walter-Medal for Goretzka, Ginter, Rüdiger and Lotzen]] (in German). German Football Association. 30 July 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  7. ↑ "Trio infernale: Iashvili, Goretzka und Freier" [Trio infernale: Iashvili, Goretzka and Freier]. kicker. 4 August 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  8. ↑ "Statistik: Schottland U19 – Deutschland U19 0:1 (0:0)" [Statistic: Scotland U19 – Germany U19 0–1 (0–0)] (in German). German Football Association. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  9. ↑ "Schalke holt Bochums Top-Talent Goretzka" (in German). bundesliga.de. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  10. ↑ "Statistik: Deutschland U21 – Frankreich U21 0:0 (0:0)" [Statistic: Germany U21 – France U21 0–0 (0–0)] (in German). German Football Association. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  11. 1 2 3 "Leon Goretzka completes transfer to Schalke". SB Nation. 11 July 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  12. ↑ "Goretzka zur DFB-U16" (in German). VfL Bochum. 4 November 2010. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  13. ↑ "U16-Junioren schlagen Nordirland" (in German). RP Online. 15 October 2010. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  14. ↑ "Goretzka führt deutsche U17 als Kapitän zum Sieg" (in German). VfL Bochum. 24 August 2011. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  15. 1 2 3 "UEFA European Under-17 Championship Final Round 2012 – Slovenia 2012" (PDF). UEFA. 24 August 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  16. ↑ "U21-Junioren bleiben torlos bei gutem Goretzka-Debüt" [U21 juniors remain scoreless in good Goretzka debut]. focus.de (in German). Focus. 14 August 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  17. ↑ Kops, Calle (8 May 2014). "Löw überrascht beim vorläufigen WM-Kader" [Löw surprises with the preliminary World Cup squad]. dw.de (in German). Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  18. ↑ Hallam, Mark (12 May 2014). "Germany vs Poland: More useful to Löw than you might think". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  19. ↑ "Löw streicht vier und holt Kramer" [Löw eliminates four and gets Kramer] (in German). Spox.com. 14 May 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  20. ↑ "Leon Goretzka: I'm very grateful". FC Schalke 04. 25 July 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  21. ↑ "Leon Goretzka travels back from the Olympics". FC Schalke 04. 11 August 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  22. ↑ Baystead, Simon (20 September 2013). "Leon Goretzka". liberofootball.co.uk. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  23. 1 2 3 Woods, Adam (14 March 2014). "Everything you need to know about… Leon Goretzka". fourfourtwo.com. FourFourTwo. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  24. ↑ "Schalke verpflichtet Bochums Supertalent Goretzka" [Schalke signed Bochum Super Talent Goretzka]. welt.de (in German). Die Welt. 1 June 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  25. 1 2 3 "Leon Goretzka – Germany's Next Big Talent". nastytackle.com. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  26. ↑ Koch, Maximilian (1 May 2013). "Ein Bochumer Junge für die große Fußballwelt" [A Bochum boy for the big football world]. faz.net (in German). Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  27. ↑ "Leon Goretzka". National Football Teams. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
  28. ↑ "Fritz-Walter-Medaille 2012: Die Gewinner: Das sind die besten Talente Deutschlands" [Fritz Walter Medal 2012: Winners: These are the best talents Germany]. spox.com (in German). Spox.com. 30 July 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  29. ↑ "RevierSport: Goretzka hat die Reifeprüfung abgelegt" [Reviersport: Goretzka took the matriculation examination]. reviersport.de (in German). Reviersport. 3 July 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  30. ↑ Webb, Alex; Rothwell, Steve (1 May 2012). "GM-Peugeot Pact Makes Opel Workers Rivals for Survival at Two Plants: Cars". bloomberg.com. Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
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