Waldemar Anton

Hannover 96

Anton played eleven matches for Hannover 96 II and scored one goal. Since Hannover 96 were in relegation, Anton and Mike-Steven Bähre were signed to professional contracts to help the club.

During the 2015–16 season, Anton made two appearances for Hannover 96, playing in a 2–1 win against VfB Stuttgart on 27 February 2016 and a 1–0 loss against Eintracht Frankfurt on 19 March 2016. His first Bundesliga goal was against Borussia Mönchengladbach on 15 April 2016.

VfB Stuttgart

On 28 July 2020, Anton transferred to VfB Stuttgart on a four-year deal. On 5 November 2021, he extended his contract until 2025.

Anton became the team captain of VfB Stuttgart in August 2023 and extended his contract until 2027 on 14 January 2024. On 4 May 2024, the final matchday of the Bundesliga season, Anton would help his side win 3–1 over Bayern Munich, thus finishing Bundesliga runner-up behind champions Bayer Leverkusen.

Borussia Dortmund

On 8 July 2024, Anton joined fellow Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund, signing a four-year contract, for a reported transfer fee of €22.5m, as a replacement for Mats Hummels, who left the club in the same summer. The transfer has caused major controversies among Stuttgart supporters, since Anton declared his loyalty towards the club four months prior to his move.

On 17 August 2024, Anton made his Dortmund debut in the first round of the DFB-Pokal against Phönix Lübeck, scoring three minutes into the match, and thus his…

Anton was eligible to play for Germany, Russia and Uzbekistan. He was a youth international for Germany. He won the UEFA Under-21 Championship in 2017 and was a runner-up in 2019. In March 2024, he was called up for the Germany national team ahead of the friendly matches against France and the Netherlands. He made his debut on 23 March 2024 in a 2–0 away win over France getting subbed on for Toni Kroos. Anton was named in Germany's squad for UEFA Euro 2024, making his tournament debut in the round of 16 against Denmark, a 2–0 win in Dortmund. In the quarter-final against Spain, he'd play the full extra time, a 2–1 loss. After the Euros, he featured in Germany's 2024–25 UEFA Nations League campaign, reaching the finals and finishing fourth place. Later, he successfully qualified with Germany for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, featuring in four out of their six qualifying matches and would be called up for the final tournament squad. He made his World Cup debut on 14 June 2026, replacing Joshua Kimmich as a late substitute in a 7–1 win over Curaçao, in Germany's opening match. He featured in the round of 32 match against Paraguay, which saw his side knocked out on penalties after a 1–1 draw, with Germany’s defeat sealed before Anton even had the chance to take his spot-kick.

Club

As of match played 5 September 2026

International

As of match played 29 June 2026

A Spätaussiedler, Anton was born in the ex-Soviet region of Olmaliq, Uzbekistan, to Russia-German parents and moved to Germany at the age of two. His father is from Ekaterinburg, Russia, and his mother is Volga German. When in Germany, his parents legally changed his birth name Vladimir to its German equivalent Waldemar due to assimilation reasons. He is Christian.