Thomas Kraft

Bayern Munich

Born in Kirchen, West Germany, Kraft began playing in a goalkeeper position when he was eight years old. Kraft then started out at Sportfreunde Daaden, VfB Wissen and SG Betzdorf before joining Bayern Munich in 2004. He then signed his first professional contract with the club at age seventeen, keeping him until 2008. Kraft was promoted to the Bayern's reserve team in 2006. However, he spent two years, playing for the club's U19 team as their first choice goalkeeper. In January 2008, Kraft was promoted to the Bayern Munich's first team. He then was included six times as unused substitute into the club's first team throughout 2007–08 season. After two years being promoted to the Bayern's reserve team, Kraft finally played in their first game in the newly formed 3. Liga on 27 July 2008 against Union Berlin, as the club's reserve team won 2–1 in the opening goal of the season. He then become Bayern's reserve team first choice goalkeeper. Kraft, along with teammates Holger Badstuber and Thomas Müller, having been an unused substitute in a number of first-team matches in the 2008–09 season. However, during a 2–0 win against Carl Zeiss Jena on 1 March 2009, he suffered a broken jaw and a concussion that saw him substituted in the 19th minute. After the match, it was announced that Kraft was announced for eight weeks. But he quickly recovered and returned to the starting line–up against SpVgg Unterhaching on 1 April 2009, in a 2–1 loss. At the end of the…

Kraft made one appearance each for Germany U16, coming against Belgium U16 on 26 May 2004. In an interview with Berliner Morgenpost, Kraft hoped he would earn a call up from the senior team one day, but it never happened.

1.^Includes German Super Cup and Bundesliga relegation playoff.

When asked about his career path in an interview with Merkur, Kraft said: "I don't play football just to be second or third goalkeeper somewhere - and I don't want to get lost in the second or third division either. I want to become number 1 in a Bundesliga club as soon as possible. This year I want to show myself even more - maybe I can offer myself here for the next few years." He also idolised Oliver Kahn and his own father, saying: "When I was little he was having his really big time. You take a special look there. But in principle that stopped later, then you look in general at all goalkeepers to see where you can get something. There is no longer one big role model to look up to or something." Kraft revealed that his father's death when he was fifteen made him more responsible at an "early young age". Kraft is married to wife Denise and they lived together with their two dogs. In March 2014, Kraft became a first time father when Denise gave birth to a baby boy, Mateo and this resulted in him missing a match against Schalke 04 on 28 March 2014. After returning to the first team in a 1–1 draw against Hoffenheim on 6 April 2014, he dedicated his performance to his son. Outside of football, Kraft is a supporter of Christian Democratic Union of Germany. He also have a passion of cars and enjoys watching Formula 1.