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Lars Bender

{{Short description|German footballer (born 1989)}}

{{For|the footballer born in 1988|Lars Bender (footballer, born 1988)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Lars Bender

| image = Lars-Bender-2018-08-19.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Bender with Bayer Leverkusen in 2018

| fullname = Lars Bender{{Cite web| title = L. Bender| url = https://int.soccerway.com/players/lars-bender/16892/| website=Int.soccerway.com| access-date = 7 December 2013}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|4|27|df=y}}

| birth_place = Rosenheim, West Germany

| height = 1.85 m{{Cite web |url=https://www.bayer04.de/en-us/player/werkself/bayer-04-leverkusen/%7B%7B%20vm.common.getSiteCanonicalTag()%20%7C%20trustUrl%20%7D%7D |title=Archived copy |access-date=5 July 2022 |archive-date=29 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929203431/https://www.bayer04.de/en-us/player/werkself/bayer-04-leverkusen/%7B%7B%20vm.common.getSiteCanonicalTag()%20%7C%20trustUrl%20%7D%7D |url-status=dead }}

| position = Right back, defensive midfielder

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = 1993–1999

| youthclubs1 = TSV Brannenburg

| youthyears2 = 1999–2002

| youthclubs2 = SpVgg Unterhaching

| youthyears3 = 2002–2006

| youthclubs3 = 1860 Munich

| years1 = 2006–2009

| clubs1 = 1860 Munich

| caps1 = 58

| goals1 = 4

| years2 = 2009–2021

| clubs2 = Bayer Leverkusen

| caps2 = 256

| goals2 = 22

| totalcaps = 314

| totalgoals = 26

| nationalyears1 = 2005–2006

| nationalteam1 = Germany U17

| nationalcaps1 = 9

| nationalgoals1 = 1

| nationalyears2 = 2007–2008

| nationalteam2 = Germany U19

| nationalcaps2 = 9

| nationalgoals2 = 2

| nationalyears3 = 2009

| nationalteam3 = Germany U20

| nationalcaps3 = 1

| nationalgoals3 = 1

| nationalyears4 = 2010

| nationalteam4 = Germany U21

| nationalcaps4 = 1

| nationalgoals4 = 0

| nationalyears5 = 2011–2014

| nationalteam5 = Germany

| nationalcaps5 = 19

| nationalgoals5 = 4

| nationalyears6 = 2016

| nationalteam6 = Germany Olympic

| nationalcaps6 = 6

| nationalgoals6 = 0

| manageryears1 = 2022-2023

| managerclubs1 = Germany U15 (assistant)

| manageryears2 = 2023–

| managerclubs2 = Germany U17 (assistant)

| medaltemplates = {{medalSport|Men's football}}

{{MedalCountry|{{fb|GER}}}}

{{MedalCompetition|Olympic Games}}

{{MedalSilver|2016 Rio de Janeiro|Team}}

{{MedalCompetition|UEFA European Championship}}

{{Medal|B|2012|}}

{{MedalCompetition|UEFA European Under-19 Championship}}

{{Medal|W|2008|}}

}}

Lars Bender ({{IPA|de|ˈlaʁs ˈbɛndɐ|-|}};{{cite book|author1=Dudenredaktion|last2=Kleiner|first2=Stefan|last3=Knöbl|first3=Ralf|year=2015|orig-year=First published 1962|title=Das Aussprachewörterbuch|trans-title=The Pronunciation Dictionary|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T6vWCgAAQBAJ|language=de|edition=7th|location=Berlin|publisher=Dudenverlag|isbn=978-3-411-04067-4|pages=227, 544}}{{cite book|last1=Krech|first1=Eva-Maria|last2=Stock|first2=Eberhard|last3=Hirschfeld|first3=Ursula|last4=Anders|first4=Lutz Christian|title=Deutsches Aussprachewörterbuch|trans-title=German Pronunciation Dictionary|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E-1tr_oVkW4C&q=deutsches+ausspracheworterbuch|language=de|year=2009|publisher=Walter de Gruyter|location=Berlin|isbn=978-3-11-018202-6|pages=363, 690}} born 27 April 1989) is a German former professional footballer who played as a right back or defensive midfielder. He is currently the assistant manager of the Germany national U17 team. He is the twin brother of fellow coach and former player Sven Bender.{{cite news |title=Bender twins reunited at Leverkusen |first=Stephan |last=Uersfeld |url=http://www.espn.in/football/soccer-transfers/story/3157148/bayer-leverkusen-sign-sven-bender-from-borussia-dortmund |access-date=31 July 2020 |work=ESPN |date=13 July 2017}}{{cite news |url=http://www.espnfc.co.uk/story/1323021/lars-bender-and-sven-bender-ready-for-bundesliga-showdown |title=Bender twins ready for showdown |first=Stephan |last=Uersfeld |website=ESPN FC |date=1 February 2013 |access-date=31 July 2020 }}

Club career

=Early career=

Lars Bender played from 1993 to 1999 in the youth of the TSV Brannenburg, from 1999 to 2002 he was part of SpVgg Unterhaching youth teams. In summer 2002, he moved to the 1860 München youth team.

=1860 Munich=

In August 2006, Bender played his first game for 1860 Munich II in the Regionalliga Süd. In October, he was an unused substitute in the 1860 Munich senior team, and on 27 November 2006, when he was 17 years old, he made his professional debut at the home game against the TuS Koblenz in the 2. Bundesliga. In his first professional season, he played 13 matches, nine of them in the starting lineup. In this season, Bender won the Fritz-Walter trophy, ahead of then Mönchengladbach's Marko Marin and his twin brother, Sven Bender. In his second season, he was a regular player in the defensive midfield. On the first day of the new season, he scored his first goal. Bender started 2008–09 season again as a regular player. In the second league game against FSV Frankfurt on 3 October 2008, he took over the captaincy and was at 19 the youngest captain in the history of the 1860 Munich, but on 20 October he was seriously injured and after a number of injuries, he finished that season with only 15 matches played. In his three professional seasons played for 1860 München in the 2. Bundesliga, he played 58 games and scored four goals.

=Bayer 04 Leverkusen=

On 18 August 2009, Bender signed a three-year contract with Bayer Leverkusen. He played his first match in the Bundesliga coming off the bench on Matchday 6 and was used as a substitute in most of 20 games he played during his first season in Bayer Leverkusen. He scored his first goal in the Bundesliga against Eintracht Frankfurt on 16 September, an eventual 4–0 win.{{cite web | url = http://www.fussballdaten.de/bundesliga/2010/12/leverkusen-frankfurt/ | title = Spielbericht Bayer Leverkusen – Eintracht Frankfurt 4:0 (3:0) | language = de | publisher = fussballdaten.de | access-date = 29 October 2010}} In the following season, his position in the defensive midfield remained competitive and he was often second choice, but he played 27 matches and scored three goals. In the 2011–12 season, he was a regular player and played most of the games over the full season, only interrupted by a forced break for a muscle bundle crack injury in the spring of 2012. On 21 March 2012, Bender signed a new contract with Leverkusen to 2018.{{cite news|title=Lars Bender verlängert vorzeitig bis 2017|url=http://www.bayer04.de/B04-DEU/de/_md_aktuell-dt.aspx?aktuell=aktuell-6904|access-date=23 May 2014|newspaper=Bayer 04 Leverkusen|date=21 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821165241/http://www.bayer04.de/B04-DEU/de/_md_aktuell-dt.aspx?aktuell=aktuell-6904|archive-date=21 August 2016|url-status=dead}} In the 2012–13 Bundesliga season, he played 33 games, scored 3 goals and made 6 assists. On 31 October 2013, he extended his contract with Leverkusen until 2019.{{cite news|url=http://www.bayer04.de/B04-DEU/de/_md_aktuell-dt.aspx?aktuell=aktuell-9433|title=Bayer 04 verlängert mit Lars Bender bis 2019|date=31 October 2013|access-date=31 October 2013|publisher=Bayer 04 Leverkusen|language=de|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102073808/http://www.bayer04.de/B04-DEU/de/_md_aktuell-dt.aspx?aktuell=aktuell-9433|archive-date=2 November 2013}}

File:Lars Bender 2012.jpg

In the 2013–14 season, he played 29 games and scored three goals in the Bundesliga, despite being injured for the most of September and October and again in the spring of 2014. In the 2014–2015 season, he returned to the field and played 26 games in Bundesliga, scoring one goal against SC Paderborn 07. In UEFA Champions League he helped Leverkusen finish runner-up in the group stage behind AS Monaco but later lost to Atlético Madrid in the Round of 16. For season 2015/16 coach Roger Schmidt appointed him as the new team captain in place of Simon Rolfes, who had ended his career after the end of the preseason.{{cite news|url=http://www.sport1.de/fussball/bundesliga/2015/08/bayer-leverkusen-lars-bender-beerbt-simon-rolfes-als-kapitaen|title=Bayer Leverkusen: Lars Bender beerbt Simon Rolfes als Kapitän|date=4 August 2015|access-date=12 August 2016| language=de|publisher=sport1.de}} This season was a struggle for him as, after suffering a long-term injury from October 2015 until March 2016, he only made ten appearances in Bundesliga and two appearances in the Champions League. Bender abdicated the captaincy prior to the 2020–21 season due to his ongoing injury issues, passing the role over to Charles Aránguiz.{{cite web|url=https://bulinews.com/news/5940/charles-aranguiz-takes-over-leverkusen-captain-from-lars-bender|title=Charles Aranguiz takes over as Leverkusen captain from Lars Bender|website=Bulinews|access-date=8 September 2020}} Lars and Sven jointly announced that they would leave Leverkusen and retire from professional football at the end of the 2020–21 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/bayer-leverkusen-twins-lars-and-sven-bender-to-retire-14030|title=Bayer Leverkusen twins Lars and Sven Bender to retire at end of season|website=Bundesliga.com|access-date=23 May 2021}}

Bender played his final professional match on 22 May 2021, the final matchday of the 2020–21 Bundesliga, in which Leverkusen played against Borussia Dortmund. It was his 256th top-flight match for Leverkusen.{{Cite web | url = https://www.rsssf.org/players/dui-lbenderdata.html | title = Lars Bender – Matches and Goals in Bundesliga | first = Matthias | last = Arnhold | date = 17 June 2021 | access-date = 17 June 2021 | publisher = Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation}} He replaced his brother Sven, who had also played his final match, in the 89th minute while Leverkusen was awarded a penalty. Lars Bender took the penalty, and in a respectful gesture, Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Bürki allowed him to score without making any effort to save the shot. Bender's final goal of his professional career was a mere consolation goal as Leverkusen went on to lose the match 3–1.{{cite web |last1=Jabbar |first1=Nasir |title=Borussia Dortmund Goalkeeper Roman Burki Let Lars Bender Score Penalty in His Final Game |url=https://www.sportbible.com/football/news-roman-burki-let-lars-bender-score-penalty-in-his-final-game-20210523 |website=SPORTbible |access-date=25 May 2021 |date=23 May 2021}}

International career

File:LarsBender.JPG]]

He was part of the German under-19 side that won the 2008 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship. He and his twin Sven were named jointly as players of the tournament.

Bender was chosen as part of Germany's 23-man squad for Euro 2012. He scored an 80th-minute winner in the final group game against Denmark.{{cite web|title=German joy signals despair for Denmark |url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0254-0d7ebbded864-b1cac1fb9c91-1000--germany-joy-signals-despair-for-denmark-in-euro-2012-group-b/ |publisher=UEFA |author=John Atkin |date=17 June 2012 |access-date=13 May 2014}}

On 29 May 2013, Bender scored twice in a 4–2 win over Ecuador.{{cite web|title=Ecuador 2–4 Germany |url=http://www.espnfc.com/us/en/report/361584/report.html?soccernet=true&cc=5901 |publisher=ESPN |date=29 May 2013 |access-date=13 May 2014}}

He was named in Germany's provisional 30-man squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, but withdrew on 23 May following a thigh injury in training. Manager Joachim Löw said, "I feel personally very sorry for Lars because I know how much he wanted to be in Brazil, when a player is ruled out so close before a tournament then it is very disappointing for everyone".{{cite news|title=World Cup 2014: Injured Lars Bender out of Germany squad|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27536543|access-date=23 May 2014|publisher=BBC Sport|date=23 May 2014}} He played his last internationals for Germany in late 2014.{{Cite web | url = https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/dui-lbender-intl.html | title = Lars Bender – International Appearances | first = Matthias | last = Arnhold | date = 17 June 2021 | access-date = 17 June 2021 | publisher = Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation}}

Lars was part of the Germany Olympic football team for Rio along with his twin and Nils Petersen who were the three selected over 23 years old players,{{cite web|title= Lars und Sven Bender Der Traum von Olympia wird wahr! |url=http://www.bunte.de/stars/star-news/sport/lars-und-sven-bender-der-traum-von-olympia-wird-wahr-341781.html|publisher=bunte.de|date=15 July 2016|access-date=13 August 2016}} winning the silver medal.{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/mensolympic/news/y=2016/m=8/news=neymar-s-golden-penalty-sees-brazil-to-victory-2823069.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821102147/http://www.fifa.com/mensolympic/news/y=2016/m=8/news=neymar-s-golden-penalty-sees-brazil-to-victory-2823069.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=21 August 2016|title=Neymar's golden penalty sees Brazil to victory|date=20 August 2016|publisher=FIFA}}

Style of play

Bender normally played as a defensive midfielder or right-back. He is known for his all-action style and possesses good tackling, passing and ball interception.{{cite web|url=https://www.whoscored.com/Players/29940|title=Lars Bender|website=Whoscored.com|access-date=5 July 2022}}

Coaching career

In June 2022, the German Football Association appointed him as the new assistant coach of the German U-15 national team.{{cite news |title=U 16-JUNIOREN |url=https://www.dfb.de/u-16-junioren/news-detail-u-16/lars-und-sven-bender-neue-co-trainer-in-u-teams-241252/ |website=dfb.de |language=German |access-date=17 June 2022}}

Career statistics

=Club=

class="wikitable" Style="text-align: center"

|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

rowspan="2"|Club

!rowspan="2"|Season

!colspan="3"|League

!colspan="2"|DFB-Pokal

!colspan="2"|Continental

!colspan="2"|Total

DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
1860 Munich II

|2006–07{{cite web|title=Lars Bender {{!}} 1860 München II {{!}} Regionalliga Süd (2000-2008) {{!}} 2006/07 {{!}} Spielerprofil|url=https://www.kicker.de/lars-bender/spieler/regionalliga-sued-2000-2008/2006-07/1860-muenchen-ii|newspaper=kicker|access-date=26 August 2014|language=de}}

|Regionalliga Süd

|9

1colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—91
rowspan="5"|1860 Munich

|2006–07

|rowspan="4"|2. Bundesliga

|13

000colspan="2"|—130
2007–08{{cite web|title=Lars Bender {{!}} 1860 München {{!}} 2. Bundesliga {{!}} 2007/08 {{!}} Spielerprofil|url=https://www.kicker.de/lars-bender/spieler/2-bundesliga/2007-08/1860-muenchen|newspaper=kicker|access-date=26 August 2014|language=de}}

|28

130colspan="2"|—311
2008–09{{cite web|title=Lars Bender {{!}} 1860 München {{!}} 2. Bundesliga {{!}} 2008/09 {{!}} Spielerprofil|url=https://www.kicker.de/lars-bender/spieler/2-bundesliga/2008-09/1860-muenchen|newspaper=kicker|access-date=26 August 2014|language=de}}

|15

320colspan="2"|—173
2009–10{{cite web|title=Lars Bender {{!}} Bayer 04 Leverkusen II {{!}} Regionalliga West (2008-2012) {{!}} 2009/10 {{!}} Spielerprofil|url=https://www.kicker.de/lars-bender/spieler/regionalliga-west-2008-2012/2009-10/bayer-04-leverkusen-ii|newspaper=kicker|access-date=26 August 2014|language=de}}

|2

010colspan="2"|—30
colspan="2"|Total

!58

460colspan="2"|—644
rowspan="3"|Bayer Leverkusen II

|2009–10

|rowspan="2"|Regionalliga West

|2

0colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—20
2010–11{{cite web|title=Lars Bender {{!}} Bayer 04 Leverkusen II {{!}} Regionalliga West (2008-2012) {{!}} 2010/11 {{!}} Spielerprofil|url=https://www.kicker.de/lars-bender/spieler/regionalliga-west-2008-2012/2010-11/bayer-04-leverkusen-ii|newspaper=kicker|access-date=26 August 2014|language=de}}

|1

0colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—10
colspan="2"|Total

!3

0colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—30
rowspan="13"|Bayer Leverkusen

|2009–10

|rowspan="12"|Bundesliga

|20

110colspan="2"|—211
2010–11

|27

32012{{efn|name=UEL|Appearances in UEFA Europa League}}0413
2011–12{{cite web|title=Lars Bender {{!}} Bayer 04 Leverkusen {{!}} Bundesliga {{!}} 2011/12 {{!}} Spielerprofil|url=https://www.kicker.de/lars-bender/spieler/bundesliga/2011-12/bayer-04-leverkusen|newspaper=kicker|access-date=26 August 2014|language=de}}

|28

4108{{efn|name=UCL|Appearances in UEFA Champions League}}1375
2012–13{{cite web|title=Lars Bender {{!}} Bayer 04 Leverkusen {{!}} Bundesliga {{!}} 2012/13 {{!}} Spielerprofil|url=https://www.kicker.de/lars-bender/spieler/bundesliga/2012-13/bayer-04-leverkusen|newspaper=kicker|access-date=26 August 2014|language=de}}

|33

3305{{efn|name=UEL}}0413
2013–14{{cite web|title=Lars Bender {{!}} Bayer 04 Leverkusen {{!}} Bundesliga {{!}} 2013/14 {{!}} Spielerprofil|url=https://www.kicker.de/lars-bender/spieler/bundesliga/2013-14/bayer-04-leverkusen|newspaper=kicker|access-date=26 August 2014|language=de}}

|29

3416{{efn|name=UCL}}0394
2014–15{{cite web|title=Lars Bender {{!}} Bayer 04 Leverkusen {{!}} Bundesliga {{!}} 2014/15 {{!}} Spielerprofil|url=https://www.kicker.de/lars-bender/spieler/bundesliga/2014-15/bayer-04-leverkusen|newspaper=kicker|access-date=26 August 2014|language=de}}

|26

1207{{efn|name=UCL}}0351
2015–16{{cite web|title=Lars Bender {{!}} Bayer 04 Leverkusen {{!}} Bundesliga {{!}} 2015/16 {{!}} Spielerprofil|url=https://www.kicker.de/lars-bender/spieler/bundesliga/2015-16/bayer-04-leverkusen|newspaper=kicker|access-date=23 August 2015|language=de}}

|11

1214{{efn|name=UCL}}0172
2016–17{{cite web|title=Lars Bender {{!}} Bayer 04 Leverkusen {{!}} Bundesliga {{!}} 2016/17 {{!}} Spielerprofil|url=https://www.kicker.de/lars-bender/spieler/bundesliga/2016-17/bayer-04-leverkusen|newspaper=kicker|access-date=14 January 2017|language=de}}

|9

0003{{efn|name=UCL}}0120
2017–18{{cite web|title=Lars Bender {{!}} Bayer 04 Leverkusen {{!}} Bundesliga {{!}} 2017/18 {{!}} Spielerprofil|url=https://www.kicker.de/lars-bender/spieler/bundesliga/2017-18/bayer-04-leverkusen|newspaper=kicker|access-date=17 February 2018|language=de}}

|21

231colspan="2"|—243
2018–19{{cite web |title=Lars Bender {{!}} Bayer 04 Leverkusen {{!}} Bundesliga {{!}} 2018/19 {{!}} Spielerprofil |url=https://www.kicker.de/lars-bender/spieler/bundesliga/2018-19/bayer-04-leverkusen |newspaper=kicker |access-date=5 September 2018 |language=de}}

|20

1205{{efn|name=UEL}}0271
2019–20{{cite web |title=Lars Bender {{!}} Bayer 04 Leverkusen {{!}} Bundesliga {{!}} 2019/20 {{!}} Spielerprofil |url=https://www.kicker.de/lars-bender/spieler/bundesliga/2019-20/bayer-04-leverkusen |newspaper=kicker |access-date=11 December 2019 |language=de}}

|18

2208{{efn|Four appearances in UEFA Champions League, four appearances in UEFA Europa League}}0282
2020–21{{cite web |title=Lars Bender {{!}} Bayer 04 Leverkusen {{!}} Bundesliga {{!}} 2020/21 {{!}} Spielerprofil |url=https://www.kicker.de/lars-bender/spieler/bundesliga/2020-21/bayer-04-leverkusen |newspaper=kicker |access-date=13 September 2020 |language=de}}

|14

1214{{efn|name=UEL}}0202
colspan="2"|Total

!256

2224462134227
colspan="3"|Career total

!326

2730462141832

{{notelist}}

=International=

:Scores and results list Germany's goal tally first.

class="wikitable"

! No. !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition

1.17 June 2012Arena Lviv, Lviv, Ukraine{{fb|DEN}}align="center"|2–1align="center"|2–1UEFA Euro 2012
2.rowspan="2"|29 May 2013rowspan="2"|FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, United Statesrowspan="2"|{{fb|ECU}}align="center"|2–0align="center" rowspan="2"|4–2rowspan="3"|Friendly
3.align="center"|3–0
4.14 August 2013Fritz-Walter-Stadion, Kaiserslautern, Germany{{fb|PAR}}align="center"|3–3align="center"|3–3

Honours

;Germany Youth

Individual

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{commons category}}

  • {{Official website|https://larsvenbender.de/en/lars-113.html}}
  • {{FIFA player|306550}}
  • {{UEFA player|103790|Lars Bender}}
  • {{NFT player}}
  • {{ESPN FC|115119|Lars Bender}}
  • {{Fussballdaten|benderlars|Lars Bender}}
  • [https://www.kicker.de/lars-bender/spieler/bundesliga/2013-14/bayer-04-leverkusen Kicker profile] {{in lang|de}}
  • [http://www.bundesliga.com/en/liga/clubs/bayer-leverkusen/spieler.php?player=33559 Bundesliga profile]
  • {{Olympics.com|lars-bender}}
  • {{DOSB profile|lars-bender}}
  • {{Olympedia}}

{{Navboxes

| title = Awards

| bg = gold

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| list1 =

{{UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship awards}}

{{2017–18 kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season}}

{{Fritz Walter Medal Under-17}}

}}

{{Navboxes

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| list1 =

{{Germany squad UEFA Euro 2012}}

{{Germany men's football squad 2016 Summer Olympics}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bender, Lars}}

Category:1989 births

Category:Living people

Category:German twins

Category:Footballers from Rosenheim

Category:Men's association football midfielders

Category:German men's footballers

Category:Germany men's international footballers

Category:Germany men's under-21 international footballers

Category:Germany men's youth international footballers

Category:Bundesliga players

Category:2. Bundesliga players

Category:TSV 1860 Munich II players

Category:TSV 1860 Munich players

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Category:Bayer 04 Leverkusen II players

Category:UEFA Euro 2012 players

Category:Footballers at the 2016 Summer Olympics

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Category:Olympic silver medalists for Germany

Category:Olympic medalists in football

Category:21st-century German sportsmen