Felix Wiedwald

Felix Wiedwald (German pronunciation: [ˈfeːlɪks ˈviːtˌvalt]; born 15 March 1990) is a German former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. A Werder Bremen youth product, he played for the club's reserves in the 3. Liga before moving to 2. Bundesliga club MSV Duisburg in 2011. Following a two-year stint at Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt he returned to Werder Bremen in 2015. Upon Jiří Pavlenka's arrival in 2017, he moved to Championship club Leeds United where he spent one season before rejoining Eintracht Frankfurt. At Eintracht Frankfurt he featured sparingly and was loaned out to former club [MSV Duisburg. He retired after stints with Dutch club FC Emmen in the Eredivisie and with 2. Bundesliga side SV Sandhausen. At international level, he made one appearance for the Germany U20 national team.

Felix Wiedwald
Wiedwald with MSV Duisburg in 2012
Personal information
Full name Felix Wiedwald[1]
Date of birth (1990-03-15) 15 March 1990
Place of birth Thedinghausen, West Germany
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
1997–1999 TSV Achim
1999–2009 Werder Bremen
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2011 Werder Bremen II 39 (0)
2009–2011 Werder Bremen 0 (0)
2011–2013 MSV Duisburg 47 (0)
2013–2015 Eintracht Frankfurt 11 (0)
2013 Eintracht Frankfurt II 1 (0)
2015–2017 Werder Bremen 59 (0)
2017–2018 Leeds United 28 (0)
2018–2020 Eintracht Frankfurt 3 (0)
2019 → MSV Duisburg (loan) 15 (0)
2020–2021 FC Emmen 6 (0)
2022 SV Sandhausen 0 (0)
Total 209 (0)
International career
2009 Germany U20 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Early career

After progressing through the academy of TSV Achim and subsequently Werder Bremen, Wiedwald made his debut for Werder Bremen II in the 2–2 away game at FC Carl Zeiss Jena in the 3. Liga on 26 September 2009. He became Werder Bremen II's first-choice goalkeeper.

MSV Duisburg

After joining Duisburg initially as number 2 goalkeeper to Florian Fromlowitz, Wiedwald played his first 2. Bundesliga match for MSV Duisburg on 18 November 2011 in a 3–0 home win against Eintracht Braunschweig.[2]

Eintracht Frankfurt

In the summer of 2013, Wiedwald joined Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt, where he became the number two goalkeeper to regular goalkeeper Kevin Trapp. On 12 December 2013, he made his debut for Eintracht Frankfurt in the UEFA Europa League match against Apoel Nicosia.

Wiedwald made his debut in the Bundesliga on 2 February 2014, when he came on in the game against Bayern Munich for the injured Kevin Trapp. In September 2014, he held off competition from experienced former German international goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand to be the club's temporary first choice goalkeeper after an injury to regular number one Kevin Trapp.[3][4]

Werder Bremen
Wiedwald playing for Werder Bremen in 2015

On 26 May 2015, Werder Bremen announced their signing of Wiedwald as he returned to his childhood club after spending four years at other clubs.[5] While Raphael Wolf, his main competitor, struggled with injuries Wiedwald went into the 2015–16 season as Werder's first choice goalkeeper.[6]

At the beginning of the 2016–17 season, Wiedwald shared the number one position with Jaroslav Drobny, however established himself in the second half of the season, with Wiedwald starting 26 games for Bremen over the season as they finished 8th in the Bundesliga. After impressing during the latter half of the season and reaching a clause after playing 20+ games, on 11 May 2017, Wiedwald's contract at the club was automatically extended.[7]

After Bremen signed goalkeeper Jiří Pavlenka on 27 June 2017 as the new number one goalkeeper for the 2017–18 season, Wiedwald was subject of enquiries from Ligue 1 club FC Nantes and Championship club Leeds United.[8]

Leeds United

On 30 June 2017, Wiedwald signed for Leeds United of the Championship on a three-year deal contract an undisclosed fee.[9][10] On 6 August 2017, the first matchday of the 2017–18 season, he made his Leeds United debut in the 3–2 victory against Bolton Wanderers.[11] In the following four league matches on 12, 15, 19 and 26th of August he kept four successive clean sheets – in two 0–0 draws against Preston North End and Fulham,[12][13] in a 2–0 victory against Sunderland[14] and a 2–0 victory against Nottingham Forest on 26 August.[15]

After receiving criticism for his performance against Sheffield Wednesday, Wiedwald lost his place in the side to Andy Lonergan. However, with Lonergan having several games as number 1 and failing to impress, Wiedwald returned to the side against Barnsley on 25 November keeping a clean sheet. During the game, a quick thinking Leeds fan from the crowd gave him his cap when he noticed that the sun was interfering with his vision. After the game, Wiedwald gave the fan his cap back and also his shirt as a thank you gift.[16] He made an error on 9 December against Queens Park Rangers when he let Paweł Wszołek's hopeful tame long ball bounce into the net.[17]

He kept his 10th clean sheet of the season in his 19th performance on 1 January 2018 in Leeds 0–0 draw against Nottingham Forest.[18] He received the man of the match award for Leeds, after keeping another clean sheet in Leeds 0–0 draw against Hull City on 31 January.[19]

After an early error against Bristol City that led to a goal, Wiedwald was criticised both by fans and by former Leeds and England goalkeeper Paul Robinson, acting as Sky Sports' pundit, who said he thought Leeds needed another goalkeeper.[20]

On 24 February 2018, he helped prove to be a match winner in Leeds' 1–0 win against Brentford, when he made a save from Brentford's John Egan.[21] On 2 March, Wiedwald again came under criticism in a 3–0 defeat against Middlesbrough after a series of errors in the game including letting a Patrick Bamford shot squirm past him to score Boro's second goal of the game.[22] On 7 March, he was dropped due to his form, with youngster Bailey Peacock-Farrell preferred in goal against league leaders Wolverhampton Wanderers. Leeds lost 3–0 but Peacock-Farrell received man of the match for his display.[23]

Eintracht Frankfurt

Wiedwald re-signed for Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt on 19 June 2018 on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee.[24] He joined MSV Duisburg on 2 January 2019 on loan until the end of the 2018–19 season.[25]

FC Emmen

Wiedwald moved to Eredivisie side FC Emmen on 5 October 2020, the last day of the 2020 summer transfer window.[26] He signed a one-year contract with the option of a second year.[27]

SV Sandhausen

In January 2022, after half a year without a club, Wiedwald signed a contract until the end of the 2021–22 season with 2. Bundesliga club SV Sandhausen. He joined as a replacement for the injured Nikolai Rehnen.[28]

Retirement

Wiedwald announced his retirement in September 2022.[29]

International career

On 13 November 2009, Wiedwald made his debut for the Germany U20 national team against Austria U20.

Career statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[lower-alpha 1] League cup[lower-alpha 2] Europe Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Werder Bremen II 2009–10[30] 3. Liga 150———150
2010–11[30] 3. Liga 240———240
Total 390———390
Werder Bremen 2009–10[30] Bundesliga 0000——00
2010–11[30] Bundesliga 0000—0000
Total 0000—0000
MSV Duisburg 2011–12[30] 2. Bundesliga 20000——200
2012–13[30] 2. Bundesliga 27020——290
Total 47020——490
Eintracht Frankfurt 2013–14[30] Bundesliga 1000—1[lower-alpha 3]020
2014–15[30] Bundesliga 10010——110
Total 11010—10130
Eintracht Frankfurt II 2013–14[30] Regionalliga Südwest 10———10
Werder Bremen 2015–16[30] Bundesliga 34050——390
2016–17[30] Bundesliga 25010——260
Total 59060——650
Leeds United 2017–18[31] Championship 2800020—300
Eintracht Frankfurt 2018–19[30] Bundesliga 0000——00
2019–20[30] Bundesliga 3000—3[lower-alpha 3]060
Total 3000—3060
MSV Duisburg (loan) 2018–19 2. Bundesliga 15010——160
FC Emmen 2020–21 Eredivisie 6010——70
Career total 209011020402260
  1. Appearance in DFB-Pokal
  2. Appearance in EFL Cup
  3. Appearance in UEFA Europa League

References
  1. "Club list of registered players: As at 19th May 2018: Leeds United" (PDF). English Football League. p. 22. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  2. "Brosinski beschert Reck den ersten Sieg". kicker.de. 19 November 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2011.
  3. "Frankfurt sign ex-Germany keeper Hildebrand". DW. 26 September 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  4. "Eintracht Frankfurt commits Timo Hildebrand" (in German). Eintracht Frankfurt. 14 September 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  5. "Werder sign Felix Wiedwald and Ulisses Garcia". werder.de. SV Werder Bremen GmbH & Co KGaA. 26 May 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  6. Müller, Thiemo (14 July 2015). ""Boxer" Wiedwald ist der Chef im Ring" (in German). Kicker. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  7. Knips, Björn; Sander, Carsten (11 May 2017). "Felix Wiedwald bleibt – "definitiv"". WerderStube (in German). Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  8. Klemm, Hans-Günter (27 June 2017). "Wiedwald auf dem Weg nach Leeds" [Wiedwald on the way to Leeds] (in German). Kicker. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  9. "Felix Wiedwald: Leeds United sign Werder Bremen goalkeeper for undisclosed fee". BBC Sport. 30 June 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  10. "Whites bring in goalkeeper". Leeds United A.F.C. 30 June 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  11. "REPORT: BOLTON WANDERERS 2–3 LEEDS UNITED", Leeds United Official Site, 6 August 2017
  12. "Leeds 0–0 Preston North End". BBC Sport. 12 August 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  13. "Leeds 0–0 Fulham". BBC Sport. 12 August 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  14. "Sunderland vs Leeds". Sky Sports. 19 August 2017.
  15. "Nottingham Forest 0–2 Leeds: Kemar Roofe and Ezgjan Alioski seal win". Sky Sports. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
  16. "Leeds goalkeeper Felix Wiedwald given cap by supporter". Sky Sports. 25 November 2017. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  17. "QPR 1 Leeds United 3: Roofe as first-choice, Ekuban's injury and Wiedwald in goal – Talking Points". Yorkshire Evening Post. 10 December 2017.
  18. "Leeds 0 Nottingham Forest 0". BBC Sport. 1 January 2018.
  19. "Phil Hay's Big Match Verdict – Hull City 0 Leeds United 0: Goalkeeper Wiedwald saves patched-up Whites". Yorkshire Evening Post. 31 January 2018.
  20. Urquhart, Joe (20 February 2018). "Leeds United boss Paul Heckingbottom makes no assurances over Felix Wiedwald". Yorkshire Evening Post. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  21. "Leeds 1 Brentford 0". BBC Sport. 21 February 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  22. "Leeds fans aren't impressed with Felix Wiedwald". Yorkshire Evening Post. 2 March 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  23. "Leeds United 0–3 Wolverhampton Wanderers". BBC Sport. 7 March 2018. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  24. "Felix Wiedwald: Leeds United goalkeeper joins Frankfurt". BBC Sport. 19 June 2018. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
  25. "MSV setzt Akzente für die Rückrunde: Felix Wiedwald wieder ein Zebra!". www.msv-duisburg.de. 2 January 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  26. Mehr, Sascha (5 October 2020). "Abgang fix: Nächster Torwart verlässt Eintracht Frankfurt und geht ins Ausland". Fuldaer Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  27. "Fußball: Frankfurts Ersatztorwart Wiedwald wechselt nach Emmen". Zeit Online (in German). 5 October 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  28. "Felix Wiedwald wird beim SV Sandhausen Rehnen ersetzen". kicker (in German). 27 January 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  29. Cottäus, Daniel (26 September 2022). "Ex-Werder-Torhüter Wiedwald beendet Karriere". Weser Kurier (in German). Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  30. "F. Wiedwald: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  31. "Games played by Felix Wiedwald in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
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