Christoph Metzelder

Christoph Tobias Metzelder (born 5 November 1980) is a German former professional footballer who played as a centre-back.[3]

Christoph Metzelder
Metzelder in 2016
Personal information
Full name Christoph Tobias Metzelder[1]
Date of birth (1980-11-05) 5 November 1980
Place of birth Haltern, West Germany
Height 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in)[2]
Position(s) Centre-back
Youth career
1986–1995 TuS Haltern
1995–1996 Schalke 04
1996–1998 Preußen Münster
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2000 Preußen Münster 32 (4)
2000–2007 Borussia Dortmund 126 (2)
2007–2010 Real Madrid 23 (0)
2010–2013 Schalke 04 52 (2)
2013–2014 TuS Haltern 1 (0)
2014 TuS Haltern II 2 (0)
Total 236 (8)
National team
2000–2001 Germany U21 9 (1)
2001–2008 Germany 47 (0)
Honours
Men's Football
Representing  Germany
FIFA World Cup
Runner-up2002 South
2006
UEFA European Championship
Runner-up2008 &
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Most of his professional career, which was spent mostly at Borussia Dortmund, was blighted by injuries. He did manage, however, to appear 47 times for the German national team, representing the country at two World Cups and Euro 2008.

Metzelder also played three seasons apiece for Real Madrid and Schalke 04, amassing Bundesliga totals of 178 matches and four goals over one full decade.

In 2021 he was convicted of possessing and distributing child pornography.[4]

Career

Borussia Dortmund
Metzelder with Dortmund

Metzelder was born in Haltern, North Rhine-Westphalia. In the summer of 2000 he signed with Borussia Dortmund from SC Preußen Münster, and he was an instant success. At the end of his first season in the Bundesliga he won his first cap for Germany, playing the second half of a 5–2 friendly win in Hungary on 15 August 2001.[5][6]

The second campaign at Dortmund brought Metzelder the 2002 national title and 14 matches with Germany, all the way to the 2002 FIFA World Cup final with the latter. However, he missed the entire 2003–04 due to an Achilles tendon injury,[7] and only took part in 16 league games in the following season.[8]

After over two years out of the national squad, Metzelder was called by new boss Jürgen Klinsmann for a friendly with China, in October 2005.[9] He also scored his first two league goals, in 1–1 draws against Mainz 05[10] and Hamburger SV,[11] and would be Germany's undisputed starter at the 2006 World Cup, partnering with SV Werder Bremen's Per Mertesacker.[12]

Real Madrid
Metzelder playing for Real Madrid in 2009

On 18 April 2007, after failing to renew his contract at Borussia,[13] Metzelder transferred to Real Madrid at the end of the season on a free transfer.[14][15] In February 2008, after managing to be injury-free in the first months of his Spanish adventure, he had surgery on the sole of his foot, resulting in him missing nearly 60 days of action;[16] on 11 May, after having already missed the UEFA Champions League round-of-16 clash against A.S. Roma, he returned and played the full 90 minutes against Real Zaragoza (2–2 away draw).[17]

Despite his lack of playing time, Metzelder featured in all of Germany's matches at UEFA Euro 2008, again partnering Mertesacker.[18] In 2008–09's La Liga, he was the main beneficiary of a ten-match suspension handed to Real's Pepe; after a stellar performance in a 4–2 win at Sevilla FC[19] he also started in the 6–2 home defeat at the hands of FC Barcelona, for a career-best – in Spain – 12 appearances.[20]

Metzelder left Real Madrid after his contract expired on 30 June 2010.[21]

Return to Germany
Metzelder with Schalke in 2010

On 27 April 2010, prior to the end of the campaign, Metzelder announced his return to Germany, agreeing on a three-year contract with FC Schalke 04, with which he had already played youth football 15 years earlier.[22] His first two league games with the club, the first of 2010–11, ended with 2–1 losses, to Hamburger SV and Hannover 96.[23][24]

Metzelder appeared in ten complete matches in the season's Champions League, in an eventual last-four run. He added five in the domestic cup victorious campaign, including the semi-finals against FC Bayern Munich (1–0 win)[25] and the final against MSV Duisburg (5–0).[26]

In May 2013, 32-year-old Metzelder announced his retirement from professional football at the end of the campaign.[27] In July 2019, he was hired as a pundit by public broadcaster ARD.[28] At the time of coming under criminal investigation in September 2019 he was a pundit for Sky Sports.[4]

Personal life

Metzelder's younger brother, Malte, was also a footballer (and a centre-back), and both played for Borussia Dortmund.[29]

He has one daughter, Emma (born 17 October 2009), with girlfriend Julia Gödicke.[30]

In 2006 he founded an organisation helping socially disadvantaged German youth and continues to run it.[4]

Metzelder was being investigated for the potential distribution of child pornography,[31][32] which led him to step down from his role as president of his former club TuS Haltern am See in September 2019.[33]

On 4 September 2020, the district court of the city of Düsseldorf announced that an official charge had been filed against Metzelder by the prosecutor.[34] The prosecutor did not express any specific suspicions. The district court stated in a press release that one female witness received 10 child pornographic pictures, another female witness received 16 child pornographic pictures and two child pornographic videos and a third female witness received one child pornographic picture—all distributed by using Metzelder's WhatsApp account. The statement also mentioned nearly 300 media files with child pornographic content having been found on Metzelder's confiscated cell phone. Metzelder himself had the allegations denied by his lawyers.[35] On 14 September, it was reported that the Düsseldorf court's decision "indirectly stated" that Metzelder had confessed.[36] His trial was on 29 April 2021 and he was sentenced to a ten-month suspended prison sentence for owning and distributing child pornography.[37] Giving evidence at trial, he admitted he had collected and disseminated child pornography, and that he engaged in "extreme fantasies in chats."[4]

In April 2021 Metzelder's lawyer stated Metzelder was in therapy for "certain issues such as sexuality or dealing with women in certain situations" but was "obviously not" a paedophile.[4]

Career statistics

Club
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[2][38]
Club Season League Cup Europe Other1 Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Borussia Dortmund 2000–01 1902000–210
2001–02 2501012020400
2002–03 2401010010360
2003–04 0000000000
2004–05 1600000–160
2005–06 232100020262
2006–07 1900000–190
Total 126250220501582
Real Madrid 2007–08 90103000130
2008–09 120201000150
2009–10 201000–30
Total 230404000310
Schalke 04 2010–11 3215010010481
2011–12 161003000191
2012–13 402010–70
Total 5227014010742
Career total 2014160400602634
  • 1.^ Includes DFL-Ligapokal, DFL-Supercup and UEFA Intertoto Cup.

International
Appearances and goals by national team and year[39]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Germany 200110
2002140
200310
200400
200510
2006110
2007110
200880
Total470

Honours

Borussia Dortmund

Real Madrid

Schalke 04

  • DFB-Pokal: 2010–11
  • DFL-Supercup: 2011; runner-up: 2010

Germany

Individual

  • Bravo Award: 2002

References
  1. "2006 FIFA World Cup Germany: List of Players: Germany" (PDF). FIFA. 21 March 2014. p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2019.
  2. "C. Metzelder". Soccerway. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  3. "Christoph Metzelder, Germany's composed and confident defender". UNICEF. 21 June 2006. Archived from the original on 13 September 2009. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  4. "Ex-footballer Metzelder admits sharing child porn at German trial". AFP via Channel News Asia. 29 April 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  5. Matthias Arnhold (22 November 2012). "Christoph Metzelder – International Appearances". RSSSF. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
  6. "Völlers Jugendstil bleibt erfolgreich" [Voller's newbies still successful]. kicker (in German). 15 August 2001. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
  7. "Metzelder needs second operation". UEFA. 20 October 2003. Retrieved 8 April 2010.
  8. Arnhold, Matthias (1 October 2015). "Christoph Metzelder – Matches and Goals in Bundesliga". RSSSF. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
  9. "Metzelder set for a happy return". UEFA. 11 October 2005. Retrieved 8 April 2010.
  10. "Koller erleidet Kreuzbandriß" [Koller suffers cruciate ligament rupture]. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). 24 September 2005. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  11. "HSV gibt erste Auswärtspunkte ab" [HSV get first away points]. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). 23 October 2005. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  12. ""Jetzt nehmen wir uns Italien vor"" [„Let's take on Italy now“]. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). 1 July 2006. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  13. "Dortmund to split with Metzelder". UEFA. 5 March 2007. Retrieved 8 April 2010.
  14. "Real set to sign Metzelder". ITV Football. Archived from the original on 21 April 2007. Retrieved 19 April 2007.
  15. "Metzelder to make mark in Spain". UEFA.com. 9 July 2007. Retrieved 8 April 2010.
  16. "Metzelder booked in for foot surgery". UEFA. 9 February 2008. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 8 April 2010.
  17. "La última baza" [The last ace]. El Periódico de Aragón (in Spanish). 11 May 2008. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  18. "Abwehr mit Bart" [Bearded defender]. Der Tagesspiegel (in German). 9 June 2008. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  19. "El Real Madrid vence (2–4) al Sevilla con 'hat-trick' de Raúl y mete presión al Barça" [Real Madrid beat (2–4) Sevilla with Raúl hat-trick and put pressure on Barça] (in Spanish). Europa Press. 27 April 2009. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  20. "Metzelder podría ser el segundo entrenador de Guardiola en el Bayern" [Metzelder could be assistant to Guardiola at Bayern]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 5 April 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  21. "Metzelder träumt zum Abschied bei Real vom Titel" [Metzelder dreams of leaving Real Madrid with title]. Süddeutsche Zeitung (in German). 8 April 2010. Retrieved 8 April 2010.
  22. "Vertrag bis 2013: Christoph Metzelder wechselt zum S04!" [Contract until 2013: Christoph Metzelder moves to S04!] (in German). Schalke 04. 27 April 2010. Archived from the original on 28 April 2010. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  23. "Der doppelte van Nistelrooy" [Van Nistelrooy brace]. Rheinische Post (in German). 21 August 2010. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  24. "Rausch nimmt Schalke den Wind aus den Segeln" [Rausch puts wind in Schalke's sails]. kicker (in German). 28 August 2010. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  25. Christian Paul (2 March 2011). "Raúl schießt Schalke nach Berlin" [Raúl shoots Schalke toward Berlin]. Der Spiegel (in German). Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  26. Jan Reschke (21 May 2011). "Schalke jubelt nach Gala gegen Duisburg" [Schalke celebrate after party against Duisburg]. Der Spiegel (in German). Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  27. "Metzelder beendet seine Laufbahn" [Metzelder ends his run] (in German). Sport1. 13 May 2013. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  28. "Ex-Nationalspieler Metzelder wird Experte bei der ARD" [Ex-national player Metzelder becomes expert on ARD]. Rheinische Post (in German). 18 July 2019. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  29. "Ein neues Leben – mit Inhalt" [A new life – with contentment]. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). 16 May 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
  30. "Metzelder mit Baby nach Madrid" [Metzelder and daughter to Madrid]. Bild (in German). 17 November 2009. Retrieved 8 September 2010.
  31. "ARD lässt Zusammenarbeit mit Metzelder ruhen" [ARD suspends cooperation with Metzelder]. kicker (in German). 4 September 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  32. "Christoph Metzelder investigated over alleged child pornography distribution". BBC Sport. 4 September 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  33. "Christoph Metzelder steps down from role after child abuse images allegations". The Guardian. 5 September 2019. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  34. Garcia, Adriana (23 February 2021). "Ex-Real Madrid, Dortmund defender Christoph Metzelder faces trial over child pornography images". ESPN. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  35. "Amtsgericht bestätigt: Anklage gegen Christoph Metzelder erhoben". www1.wdr.de (in German). 4 September 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  36. "Christoph Metzelder 'confesses' over child exploitation allegations". Deutsche Welle. 14 September 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  37. "Metzelder given suspended sentence for child pornography". AP News (in German). 29 April 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  38. Christoph Metzelder at WorldFootball.net
  39. "Christoph Metzelder". EU-Football.info. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
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