By Rich

Niclas Thiede is a 21-year-old goalkeeper for SC Freiburg. Thiede was born on April 14, 1999 in Hagen, Germany, and spent his youth career playing for SSV Hagen, FC Iserlohn, Borussia Dortmund, Rot-Weiss Essen, and VfL Bochum. His senior career began at SC Freiburg with the club’s reserve squad in 2018, and he made his professional debut in the 1. Bundesliga on October 19, 2019, coming on as a substitute for the injured Alexander Schwolow in an away match against Union Berlin. Thiede has also made 9 appearances for Germany’s U18, U19, and U20 squads between 2016 and 2019.

By Rich

Felix Wiedwald is a 30-year-old goalkeeper for Eintracht Frankfurt. Wiedwald was born on March 15, 1990 in Thedinghausen, West Germany, and spent his youth career playing for TSV Achim from 1997 to 1999 and SV Werder Bremen from 1999 to 2009. His senior career began at SV Werder Bremen II, where he made 39 appearances between 2009 and 2011. He then made 47 appearances for MSV Duisburg between 2011 and 2013, 12 appearances for Eintracht Frankfurt and Eintracht Frankfurt II between 2013 and 2015, 59 appearances for SV Werder Bremen between 2015 and 2017, 28 appearances for Leeds United from 2017 to 2018, 3 appearances since rejoining Eintracht in 2018, and 15 appearances on loan to MSV Duisburg in 2019. Wiedwald also made 1 appearance for Germany’s U20 squad in 2009.

By Rich

​Raphael Framberger is a 25-year-old defender for FC Augsburg. Framberger was born on September 6, 1995 in Augsburg, Germany and spent his youth career playing for SV Cosmos Aystetten until 2004, and FC Augsburg from 2004 until 2013. His senior career continued with Augsburg, where he began playing for FC Augsburg II in the Regionalliga Bayern, where he scored 1 goal in 38 appearances. He made his first appearance for the senior squad in the 2016-17 season, and has since made 14 appearances for the squad. Framberger, who says he “could never sit all day in an office”, enjoys watching cooking shows and also cooking for himself.

By Rich

​Jens Grahl is a 31-year-old goalkeeper for VfB Stuttgart. Grahl was born on September 22, 1988 in Stuttgart, West Germany, and spent his youth career playing for TSV Münster, SpVgg Feuerbach, VfB Stuttgart, Stuttgarter Kickers, and SpVgg Greuther Fürth. His senior career continued at Fürth beginning in 2006, where he made 72 appearances for SpVgg Greuther Fürth II until 2009. He joined TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in 2009, where he made 89 appearances for both the senior and reserve squads between 2009 and 2016, except for 1 year on loan to SC Paderborn during the 2011-2012 season. He joined his current club for the 2016-2017 season, and his current contract runs through June 2020.