Roman Weidenfeller is a former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Bundesliga clubs and the Germany national team.
He was awarded the Silbernes Lorbeerblatt, one of Germany's highest sports honors, in 2014.
Weidenfeller had a long and successful career at Borussia Dortmund, where he played from 2002 to 2018.
Biography
Early Life
Roman Weidenfeller was born in 1980 in Germany and began his football journey at a young age, playing for Sportfreunde Eisbachtal during his youth years. His talent was evident early on, and he made his professional debut in 1997 after showcasing his skills at the 1997 FIFA U-17 World Championship.
Career
Weidenfeller's professional career took off when he joined 1. FC Kaiserslautern in 1998, where he played primarily for the second team before being promoted to the first team in the 2000-01 season. However, he found more success after transferring to Borussia Dortmund in 2002. At Dortmund, he became a key player, stepping in as a potential replacement for Jens Lehmann. Weidenfeller's time at Dortmund was marked by significant achievements, including winning the Bundesliga title in 2010-11 and 2011-12, as well as the DFB-Pokal in 2012 and 2017. He also played a crucial role in Dortmund's run to the UEFA Champions League final in 2013.
On the international stage, Weidenfeller represented Germany at various youth levels, including the under-21 team. He made his senior debut in 2013, becoming the oldest goalkeeper to debut for Germany. He was part of the squad that won the FIFA World Cup in 2014, although he did not play in any matches during the tournament. Weidenfeller concluded his international career with five caps, with his last appearance in a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying match.
Legacy
Weidenfeller's contributions to football have been recognized with several honors, including the prestigious Silbernes Lorbeerblatt in 2014. His career is celebrated not only for his on-field achievements but also for his resilience and dedication to the sport, making him a respected figure in German football history.
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Gallery
Career & Clubs
Early career
During his youth years, Weidenfeller played for Sportfreunde Eisbachtal. He then made his professional debut in 1997, after his performances at the 1997 FIFA U-17 World Championship.
1. FC Kaiserslautern
In 1998, Weidenfeller transferred to the 1. FC Kaiserslautern youth team and later was used in the second team. For the 2000–01 season he was promoted to the first team but made only six league appearances in two years.
Borussia Dortmund
Weidenfeller moved to German champions Borussia Dortmund in 2002 on a free transfer as a possible replacement for Jens Lehmann, who had moved to Arsenal in 2003. Weidenfeller had reportedly been unhappy at Kaiserslautern, where he was used mainly as a backup to Georg Koch. His debut for Dortmund came on 17 December 2003 against his former club, Kaiserslautern, in a 1–0 loss. In 2005, Weidenfeller underwent surgery following a meniscus tear in his left knee during training. Early in the 2007–08 season, Weidenfeller was given a three-match ban and fined €10,000 for racist insults leveled against Schalke 04 striker Gerald Asamoah. Asamoah originally reported Weidenfeller after a match on 18 August 2007 between the two clubs, where the incident occurred after a clash between the two in the 51st minute. Weidenfeller offered an apology to Asamoah following the news reports but denied making the statement. Due to a partial tear of the medial ligament in the right knee, he missed the DFB-Pokal final towards…
From 1999 until 2001, Roman Weidenfeller competed in three matches for the national under-21 team of Germany. In 2005, he was part of the B-national team of Germany for which he kept his goal once, also known as Team 2006, as it was the development team for the 2006 FIFA World Cup on homesoil. Nonetheless he would not become part of Jürgen Klinsmann's final World Cup squad. In November 2013, Weidenfeller was called up to the Germany national squad for his first time for the friendlies against Italy and England. He received his first cap when he started against England at the Wembley Stadium on 19 November 2013, making him the oldest ever German goalkeeper débutant. He then appeared for the game against Cameroon, where the game ended tied at 2–2. He made his third appearance in the next game against Armenia where Germany won 6–1. Both games were international friendlies. He was nominated as a reserve keeper behind Manuel Neuer for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, where the German team won the title a fourth time, but Weidenfeller wasn't used in any match. Weidenfeller made his first appearance in the Germany national team in a competitive match against Gibraltar during the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying in June 2015. His international farewell came with this match after winning five caps in total.
- Club
- 1. FC Kaiserslautern (1998–2002)
- Club
- Borussia Dortmund (2002–2018)
- Club
- Germany men's national association football team (2013–2014)
- Club
- Germany national under-21 football team (1999–2001)
- Club
- Germany national football B team (2005–2005)
- Club
- Germany national under-17 association football team (1997–1997)
- Club
- Borussia Dortmund II (2002–2004)
- Club
- Germany national under-16 football team (1997–1997)
- Club
- Team 2006 (2005–2005)
- League
- Bundesliga
- National team
- Germany
Trophies & Awards
- Award
- Silbernes Lorbeerblatt
Legacy
Borussia Dortmund
Bundesliga: 2010–11, 2011–12 DFB-Pokal: 2012, 2017 German Supercup: 2008 DFL-Supercup: 2013 UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2013 Germany U16
Bronze at the UEFA European Under-16 Championship 1997 Germany
FIFA World Cup: 2014 Orders
Silbernes Lorbeerblatt: 2014
Clubs
- Germany national under-16 football team1997–1997
- Germany national under-17 association football team1997–1997
- 1. FC Kaiserslautern1998–2002
- Germany national under-21 football team1999–2001
- Borussia Dortmund2002–2018
- Borussia Dortmund II2002–2004
- Germany national football B team2005–2005
- Team 20062005–2005
- Germany men's national association football team2013–2014
Played together with
Abdou DialloBorussia Dortmund · 2018–2019
Achraf HakimiBorussia Dortmund · 2018–2020
Adam Hloušek1. FC Kaiserslautern · 2011–2011
Adam Nemec1. FC Kaiserslautern · 2009–2011
Adnan JanuzajBorussia Dortmund · 2015–2016
Adrián RamosBorussia Dortmund · 2014–2017
Ahmed Reda MadouniBorussia Dortmund · 2001–2005
Aki Riihilahti1. FC Kaiserslautern · 2006–2007
Albert Bunjaku1. FC Kaiserslautern · 2012–2014- Aleksander Knavs1. FC Kaiserslautern · 2001–2004
Alexander Baumjohann1. FC Kaiserslautern · 2012–2013
Alexander Esswein1. FC Kaiserslautern · 2007
Archive
Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Roman Weidenfeller is a German former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Bundesliga clubs 1. FC Kaiserslautern and Borussia Dortmund, as well as the Germany national team.
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Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
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