Leon Flach

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Leon Flach

| image = Flach-Jagiellonia.png

| fullname = Leon Maximilian Flach{{cite web |url=https://mcusercontent.com/78d3589fb61466b549ff752e5/files/41732c7a-5319-fd6c-8648-65e8e1b78706/Group_B.pdf |title=National team roster, 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup: USA |work=CONCACAF |page=1 |date=June 18, 2021 |access-date=June 18, 2021}}

| height = {{convert|1.78|m|order=flip}}{{cite web |title=Leon Flach |url=https://www.philadelphiaunion.com/players/leon-flach/ |publisher=Philadelphia Union |access-date=23 August 2022}}

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2001|2|28}}

| birth_place = Humble, Texas, United States

| position = Midfielder, left-back

| currentclub = Jagiellonia Białystok

| clubnumber = 31

| youthyears1 = 2006–2008

| youthclubs1 = Sereetzer SV

| youthyears2 = 2008–2016

| youthclubs2 = VfB Lübeck

| youthyears3 = 2016–2020

| youthclubs3 = FC St. Pauli

| years1 = 2020–2021

| clubs1 = FC St. Pauli

| caps1 = 9

| goals1 = 1

| years2 = 2020

| clubs2 = FC St. Pauli II

| caps2 = 3

| goals2 = 1

| years3 = 2021–2024

| clubs3 = Philadelphia Union

| caps3 = 116

| goals3 = 2

| years4 = 2025–

| clubs4 = Jagiellonia Białystok

| caps4 = 13

| goals4 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2019

| nationalteam1 = Germany U18

| nationalcaps1 = 2

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2020

| nationalteam2 = United States U20

| nationalcaps2 = 2

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| club-update = 23:10, 26 May 2025 (UTC)

| nationalteam-update =

| caption = Flach in 2025 with Jagiellonia Białystok

| upright = 0.9

}}

Leon Maximilian Flach (born February 28, 2001) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder or left-back for Polish club Jagiellonia Białystok.{{Cite web |title=ASN: Flach seeks roles with the U.S. U-20s & St. Pauli first team in 2020 |url=http://americansoccernow.com/articles/flach-seeks-roles-with-the-u-s-u-20s/-st-pauli-first-team-in-2020 |access-date=2021-01-03 |website=americansoccernow.com}}{{WorldFootball.net}}{{cite web |url=https://www.philadelphiaunion.com/players/leon-flach |title=Leon Flach {{!}} Philadelphia Union player profile |website=philadelphiaunion.com |date=31 March 2021 |access-date=31 March 2021}}

Club career

=FC St. Pauli=

Flach made his professional debut for FC St. Pauli in the 2. Bundesliga on September 27, 2020, coming on as a substitute in the 85th minute for Jannes Wieckhoff against 1. FC Heidenheim, which finished as a 4–2 home win.{{cite web |url=https://www.worldfootball.net/report/2-bundesliga-2020-2021-fc-st-pauli-1-fc-heidenheim-1846/ |title=Germany » 2. Bundesliga 2020/2021 » 2. Round » FC St. Pauli – 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 4:2 |website=WorldFootball.net |date=September 27, 2020 |access-date=September 27, 2020}}

Flach scored his first professional goal for FC St. Pauli on January 3, 2021, scoring in the 82nd minute against Greuther Fürth in a 2–1 loss.{{cite news |title=Nur geschnuppert: St. Pauli-Trainer Schultz über Tor-Debüt von Flach |url=https://stpauli24.mopo.de/2021/01/03/nur-geschnuppert-st-pauli-trainer-schultz-ueber-tor-debuet-von-flach.html |access-date=8 January 2021 |work=Morgenpost |date=3 January 2021 |language=German}}

=Philadelphia Union=

In March 2021, Flach signed a two-year contract with Philadelphia Union competing in Major League Soccer.{{cite web |url=https://www.philadelphiaunion.com/post/2021/03/31/philadelphia-union-sign-midfielder-leon-flach |title=Philadelphia Union Sign Midfielder Leon Flach |website=philadelphiaunion.com |date=31 March 2021 |access-date=31 March 2021}} Flach's debut with the Union was starting in the club's first CONCACAF Champions League match, defeating Deportivo Saprissa 1–0.{{cite web |url=https://www.inquirer.com/soccer/leon-flach-concacaf-champions-league-saprissa-20210408.html |title=Leon Flach fits in right away during Union win in debut on Concacaf Champions League stage |publisher=The Philadelphia Inquirer |author=Jonathan Tannenwald |date=8 April 2021 |access-date=20 April 2021}} Flach scored his first goal for the Union on October 3 against reigning MLS Champions, Columbus Crew in a 3–0 win.{{cite web |url=https://www.inquirer.com/soccer/jack-elliott-philadelphia-union-vs-columbus-crew-20211003.html |title=Union rout Columbus Crew, 3-0, headlined by Jack Elliott's free kick goal: Observations and analysis |publisher=The Philadelphia Inquirer |author=Jonathan Tannenwald |date=3 October 2021 |access-date=13 October 2021}} His performances throughout the 2021 season made Flach a regular starter in the Union midfield and was recognized as being named among the MLS's 22 under 22.{{cite web |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/2021-22-under-22-presented-by-bodyarmor |title=2021 22 Under 22 presented by BODYARMOR |website=MLSsoccer.com |date=12 October 2021 |access-date=13 October 2021}}

=Jagiellonia Białystok=

On January 15, 2025, free agent Flach joined Polish defending champions and UEFA Conference League participants Jagiellonia Białystok on a two-and-a-half-year deal, with an option for another year.{{cite web |last1=Bońkowski |first1=Robert |title=Grał przeciwko Messiemu. Leon Flach będzie nową gwiazdą PKO BP Ekstraklasy? |url=https://sport.tvp.pl/84530646/gral-przeciwko-messiemu-leon-flach-z-jagiellonii-bialystok-bedzie-nowa-gwiazda-pko-bp-ekstraklasy |website=sport.tvp.pl |access-date=15 January 2025 |language=pl |date=15 January 2025}}

Personal life

Flach was born in Texas to German parents while his father was working in Houston before returning to Hamburg as a child. He has represented Germany and the United States at youth level. Flach is a fan of the Houston Texans.

Career statistics

Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
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" \|National cup{{efn\|Includes U.S. Open Cup, Polish Cup}} ! colspan="2" \|Continental ! colspan="2" \|Other ! colspan="2" \|Total
FC St. Pauli II \|2020–21 \|Regionalliga Nord \|3 \|1 \| colspan="2" \|— \| colspan="2" \|— \| colspan="2" \|— \|3 \|1
FC St. Pauli \|2020–21 \|2. Bundesliga \|9 \|1 \| colspan="2" \|— \| colspan="2" \|— \| colspan="2" \|— \|9 \|1
rowspan="5" \|Philadelphia Union \|2021 \|MLS \|34 \|1 \| colspan="2" \|— \|6{{Efn\|name=Con\|Appearances in CONCACAF Champions League}} \|0 \|3{{Efn\|name=Play\|Appearances in MLS Cup Playoffs}} \|0 \|43 \|1
2022 \|MLS \|34 \|0 \|1 \|0 \| colspan="2" \|— \|3{{efn\|name=Play}} \|1 \|38 \|1
2023 \|MLS \|25 \|1 \|1 \|0 \|4{{efn\|name=Con}} \|0 \|5{{efn\|Three appearances in Leagues Cup, two appearances in MLS Cup Playoffs}} \|0 \|35 \|1
2024 \|MLS \|23 \|0 \|0 \|0 \| colspan="2" \|— \|6{{efn\|name=LCU\|Appearances in Leagues Cup}} \|0 \|29 \|0
colspan="2" \|Total !116 !2 !2 !0 !10 !0 !17 !1 !145 !3
Jagiellonia Białystok \|2024–25 \|Ekstraklasa \|13 \|0 \|1 \|0 \|5{{efn\|name=CON\|Appearance in UEFA Conference League}} \|0 \|1{{efn\|name=PSC\|Appearance in Polish Super Cup}} \|0 \|20 \|0
colspan="3" \|Career total !141 !4 !3 !0 !15 !0 !18 !1 !177 !5

Honours

Philadelphia Union

MLS Cup runner-up: 2022{{Cite web |last=Sigal |first=Jonathan |date=November 5, 2022 |title=Hollywood ending! LAFC win legendary MLS Cup 2022 over Philadelphia Union |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/hollywood-ending-lafc-win-legendary-mls-cup-2022-over-philadelphia-union |access-date=April 27, 2023 |website=Major League Soccer}}

Jagiellonia Białystok

Polish Super Cup: 2024{{cite web |last1=Włosek |first1=Mateusz |title=Superpuchar Polski dla Jagiellonii Białystok. Antyrekord na Stadionie Narodowym |url=https://sport.tvp.pl/85955281/superpuchar-polski-dla-jagielloni-bialystok-antyrekord-na-stadionie-narodowym |website=sport.tvp.pl |access-date=April 4, 2025 |language=pl |date=April 2, 2025}}