Ron-Robert Zieler

Early career

Zieler was born in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia. He began his football career with his hometown club SCB Viktoria Köln before joining 1. FC Köln in 2001. In July 2005, he moved to England as a trainee with Manchester United. By the time he moved to Manchester United, Zieler finished his education in Germany.

Manchester United

In his first season with Manchester United, Zieler played 22 times for the Under-18 side, including four in the FA Youth Cup. He was also named as an unused substitute in 11 reserve matches, including the final of the Manchester Senior Cup, earning him a winners medal. The following season, he shared Under-18 goalkeeping duties with Ben Amos, but also made his debut for the reserves on 15 March 2007, a 3–0 home defeat to Sheffield United. Despite that inauspicious start, he made amends four days later by keeping a clean sheet in the 2–0 Manchester Senior Cup win over Oldham Athletic. The 2007–08 season marked Zieler's emergence as a full member of the reserve team, as he and Tom Heaton shared the majority of the goalkeeping duties, each making 11 appearances. In May 2008, Zieler won another Manchester Senior Cup winners medal, as he played the full 90 minutes and kept a clean sheet against Bolton Wanderers. He then played in the final of the Lancashire Senior Cup at the end of July 2008, restricting Liverpool to just two goals as United won 3–2. At the start of the 2008–09 season, Zieler was given a first team squad…

In 2008, Zieler kept goal for the German under-19 side that won the 2008 UEFA European Under-19 Championship and played with the U-20 at 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup. He was called up to the senior squad in August 2011, at first without making an appearance. On 11 November 2011, 22-year-old Zieler played in the senior side 3–3 draw against Ukraine and was the 50th debutant of the Joachim Löw-era. He conceded all three goals within 17 minutes in the first half, without having saved a single shot until half time break, but observers found that all three goals were not his fault, and in the second half he showed a couple of brilliant saves to keep the score down. He is the first keeper since 1954 to concede as many as 3 goals (or more) in a debut match for Germany. On 28 May 2012, Zieler was named the third goalkeeper of the German squad for the 2012 European Championship, remaining as back-up as they reached the semi-finals. On 15 August 2012, he started in net in a friendly match against Argentina and was sent off, becoming the first, and only, German goalkeeper to earn a red card since the founding of the Germany national team. He was sent off after half an hour for conceding a penalty with a foul on José Sosa, but replacement Marc-André ter Stegen saved the penalty from Lionel Messi. On 2 June 2014, Zieler was again named the third goalkeeper of the German squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, remaining as back-up as they reached the final and won it for the fourth time. However,…

Club

As of match played 29 October 2025

International

On New Year's Eve 2015, Zieler was at The Address Downtown Dubai and was on the 12th floor when a fire broke out. He escaped unharmed and returned to Germany on an emergency passport.