Dennis Kempe

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Dennis Kempe

| image = Dennis Kempe.jpg

| caption = Kempe in 2016

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|06|24|df=yes}}

| height = 1.87 m{{Cite web |title=Dennis Kempe |url=http://www.worldfootball.net/spieler_profil/dennis-kempe/ |publisher=worldfootball.net |access-date=29 July 2017}}

| position = Defender

| currentclub =

| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–1999 | youthclubs1 = TV Voerde

| youthyears2 = 1999–2002 | youthclubs2 = SuS Dinslaken

| youthyears3 = 2002–2006 | youthclubs3 = Borussia Mönchengladbach

| years1 = 2006–2007 | caps1 = 7 | goals1 = 0 | clubs1 = Borussia Mönchengladbach II

| years2 = 2007–2008 | caps2 = 11 | goals2 = 0 | clubs2 = VfL Wolfsburg II

| years3 = 2008–2009 | caps3 = 28 | goals3 = 0 | clubs3 = 1. FC Kleve

| years4 = 2009–2010 | caps4 = 12 | goals4 = 0 | clubs4 = FC Vaduz

| years5 = 2010–2011 | caps5 = 28 | goals5 = 0 | clubs5 = VfR Aalen

| years6 = 2011–2017 | caps6 = 114 | goals6 = 6 | clubs6 = Karlsruher SC

| years7 = 2017–2020 | caps7 = 63 | goals7 = 2 | clubs7 = Erzgebirge Aue

| years8 = 2020–2023 | caps8 = 55 | goals8 = 3 | clubs8 = Wehen Wiesbaden

| totalcaps = 318

| totalgoals = 11

| nationalyears1 = 2001

| nationalteam1 = Germany U16

| nationalcaps1 = 1

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2005

| nationalteam2 = Germany U19

| nationalcaps2 = 4

| nationalgoals2 = 0

}}

Dennis Kempe (born 24 June 1986) is a German former professional footballer who played as a defender for Borussia Mönchengladbach II, VfL Wolfsburg II, 1. FC Kleve, FC Vaduz, VfR Aalen, Karlsruher SC, Erzgebirge Aue and Wehen Wiesbaden.

Club career

=Early career=

Born in Wesel, Kempe played youth football with TV Voerde and SuS Dinslaken before joining the academy of Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2002. Having made his senior debut for Borussia Mönchengladbach II in August 2006, Kempe played for VfL Wolfsburg II and 1. FC Kleve before signing for Liechtenstein based Swiss Challenge League club FC Vaduz in the summer of 2009.{{Cite news |date=19 June 2009 |title=Neun Neue beim FC Vaduz |language=de |work=Liechtensteiner Vaterland |url=https://www.vaterland.li/importe/altdaten/sport/Neun-Neue-beim-FC-Vaduz;art492,66239 |access-date=30 May 2020}} After making 12 league appearances across the 2009–10 season for Vaduz, Kempe joined 3. Liga club VfR Aalen on 2 September 2010 on a one-year contract.{{Cite news |date=2 September 2010 |title=Kempe am Ball |language=de |work=Vorbehalten Schwäbische Post |url=https://www.schwaebische-post.de/507765/ |access-date=30 May 2020 }}{{Dead link|date=December 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

=Karlsruher SC=

In the summer of 2011, Kempe joined Karlsruher SC on a one-year contract,{{Cite news |date=17 May 2011 |title=KSC verpflichtet Dennis Kempe, Dirk Orlishausen und Markus Piossek |language=de |work=ka-news |url=https://www.ka-news.de/ksc/Karlsruhe~/KSC-verpflichtet-Dennis-Kempe-Dirk-Orlishausen-und-Markus-Piossek;art7581,626178 |access-date=30 May 2020}} with him making his debut for the club on 17 July 2011 in a 3–2 win at home to MSV Duisburg,{{Cite news |date=21 July 2011 |title=KSC-Neuzugang Dennis Kempe im Interview |language=de |work=ka-news |url=https://www.ka-news.de/ksc/KSC-Neuzugang-Dennis-Kempe-im-Interview;art7581,669931 |access-date=30 May 2020}} He was a regular player for Karlsruhe during the first half of the season, but as a result of influenza, did not appear for the club during the second half of the season.{{Cite news |date=31 January 2012 |title=KSC muss auf Dennis Kempe verzichten |language=de |work=ka-news |url=https://www.ka-news.de/ksc/Karlsruhe~/KSC-muss-auf-Dennis-Kempe-verzichten;art7581,801818 |access-date=30 May 2020}} Despite this, at the end of the 2011–12 season, following Karlsruhe's relegation to the 3. Liga, Kempe signed a new two-year contract with the club, lasting until 30 June 2014.{{Cite news |date=23 May 2012 |title=Kempe, Haas und Krebs bleiben KSC treu |language=de |work=ka-news |url=https://www.ka-news.de/ksc/Karlsruhe~/Kempe-Haas-und-Krebs-bleiben-KSC-treu;art7581,883128 |access-date=30 May 2020}}

The 2012–13 season saw Kempe make 23 appearances in the 3. Liga, scoring thrice, as the club were promoted back to the 2. Bundesliga. On 18 September 2013, Kempe signed a two-year contract extension with Karlsruhe, keeping him at the club until 2016.{{Cite web |title=Dennis Kempe verlängert Vertrag beim KSC |url=https://www.ksc.de/stadion/stadionneubau/news/show/article/dennis-kempe-verlaengert-vertrag-beim-ksc/ |publisher=Karlsruher SC |date=18 September 2013 |language=de |access-date=30 May 2020}} Kempe remained a fairly regular player at Karlsruhe, though he often suffered from injuries that limited his playing time.{{Cite web |title=KEMPE: "DIE AUTOMATISMEN GREIFEN IMMER BESSER" |url=https://www.ksc.de/stadion/stadionneubau/news/show/article/kempe-die-automatismen-greifen-immer-besser/ |date=14 October 2016 |publisher=Karlsruher SC |language=de-DE |access-date=30 May 2020}}

In April 2016, he extended his contract with Karlsruhe by a further two years.{{Cite web |title=KSC verlängert mit Dennis Kempe |url=https://www.kicker.de/ksc-verlaengert-mit-dennis-kempe-4000000012294/transfermeldung |date=19 April 2016 |website=kicker |language=de-DE |access-date=30 May 2020}} Across the 2016–17 season, he made 21 appearances for the club in the 2. Bundesliga as they were relegated back to the 3. Liga.

=Erzgebirge Aue=

He joined 2. Bundesliga side Erzgebirge Aue on a two-year contract in the summer of 2017, despite still having a year remaining on his contract at Karlsruhe.{{Cite web |title=Bis 2019: Aue holt Wydra und Kempe |url=https://www.kicker.de/bis-2019_aue-holt-wydra-und-kempe-701054/artikel |date=5 July 2017 |website=kicker |language=de-DE |access-date=30 May 2020}} Over the course of the 2017–18 season, he made 25 appearances in the 2. Bundesliga, scoring once, whilst he made 17 appearances over the 2018–19 season, scoring once. In May 2019, his contract was extended by a further year to the summer of 2020.{{Cite web |title=Kempe verlängert in Aue |url=https://www.kicker.de/kempe-verlaengert-in-aue-4000000027235/transfermeldung |date=12 May 2019 |website=kicker |language=de-DE |access-date=30 May 2020}} He was released at the end of the 2019–20 season.{{Cite web |date=2 July 2020 |title=Für Kempe ist Schluss in Aue |url=https://www.kicker.de/fuer-kempe-ist-schluss-in-aue-4000000034620/transfermeldung |access-date=18 August 2020 |website=kicker |language=de-DE}}

=Wehen Wiesbaden=

In August 2020, Kempe joined newly relegated 3. Liga side Wehen Wiesbaden on a one-year contract.{{Cite web |date=25 August 2020 |title="Bin noch hungrig": Kempe verstärkt Wiesbaden |url=https://www.kicker.de/_bin_noch_hungrig_kempe_verstaerkt_wiesbaden-782773/artikel |access-date=25 August 2020 |website=kicker |language=de-DE}} He retired at the end of the 2022–23 season during which Wehen Wiesbaden achieved promotion to the 2. Bundesliga.{{cite web |title=SVWW verabschiedet Septett um aktuellen und früheren Kapitän |trans-title=SVWW bids farewell to septet around current and former captain |url=https://www.kicker.de/svww-verabschiedet-septett-um-aktuellen-und-frueheren-kapitaen-955111/artikel |website=kicker |language=German |date=8 June 2023}}

International career

Kempe played for Germany at under-16 and under-19 level.{{DFB|dennis-kempe}}

Personal life

His father Thomas Kempe was also a professional footballer as is his younger brother Tobias.{{Cite web |title=Dennis Kempe führt im Bruder-Duell gegen Tobias |url=https://www.kicker.de/dennis-kempe-fuehrt-im-bruder-duell-gegen-tobias-712433/artikel |date=6 December 2017 |website=kicker |language=de-DE |access-date=30 May 2020}}