Nicky Adler

In 2003, Adler moved from the amateur ranks into the professional game as a player for TSV 1860 Munich and played 68 times in lower-league football before starting out as a senior player. Adler made his debut in the top flight of German football on 1 September 2007 at Energie Cottbus. He was brought on late in the game for Gláuber and scored three minutes from time. However, the goal was disallowed despite no visible infringement. He resigned his contract with MSV Duisburg on 7 July 2010 and signed a two-years contract for VfL Osnabrück one day later.

Adler played twice for the Germany U19 national team, eleven times for the Germany U20, scoring four goals.

Retiring at the end of the 2018–19 season, Adler took his coaching license. On 8 December 2019, he was hired as an assistant coach for his last club, 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig, under head coach Wolfgang Wolf. On 18 May 2020, the club announced that Adler would leave the club at the end of the season so he could obtain the coaching license for the next level.