By Rich

Nico Schlotterbeck is a 20-year-old centre-back for Sport-Club Freiburg. Schlotterbeck was born on December 1, 1999 in Waiblingen, Germany and spent his youth career playing for VfR Aalen, Karlsruher SC, and SC Freiburg. His senior career continued at SC Freiburg II beginning in 2018, and he made his professional debut for the senior squad on March 9, 2019, when he came on the pitch as a half-time substitute for Philipp Lienhart in a 2:1 win over Hertha Berlin. Schlotterbeck has also played for Germany’s U18, U19, U20, and U21 squads, scoring 2 goals in 11 appearances. Schlotterbeck is the nephew of Niels Schlotterbeck, who also played for Freiburg, and is the younger brother of Keven Schlotterbeck, who plays for 1. FC Union Berlin.

By Rich

Thomas Pledl is a 26-year-old midfielder for Fortuna Düsseldorf. Pledl was born on May 23, 1994 in Bischofsmais, Germany, and spent his youth career playing for SV Bischofsmais, SpVgg Grün-Weiss Deggendorf, and TSV 1860 München. His senior career began at SpVgg Greuther Fürth, where he made his Bundesliga debut in November 2012, as a substitute for Felix Klaus in a 0:2 defeat to Hannover 96. In January 2015, he moved to FC Ingolstadt 04, where he scored 7 goals in 69 appearances for the senior squad between 2015 and 2019. He was also loaned to SV Sandhausen from 2016 to 2017, where he scored 4 goals in 44 appearances. On April 10, 2019, Fortuna Düsseldorf confirmed that Pledl would join the club for the 2019/20 season, on a 2-year contract. Pledl also played for Germany’s U18, U19, and U20 squads between 2011 and 2014, scoring 6 goals in 33 appearances.

By Rich

Florian Wirtz is a 17-year-old attacking midfielder for Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Wirtz was born on May 3rd, 2003 in Pulheim, Germany, and spent his youth career playing for Grün-Weiß Brauweiler until 2010, 1. FC Köln from 2010 to 2020, and Bayer Leverkusen in 2020. He made his professional debut for Leverkusen’s senior squad on May 18 this year in an away match against Bremen, and scored his first goal on June 6th against Bayern, becoming the youngest goalscorer in Bundesliga history. Wirtz has also made 10 appearances for Germany’s U15, U16, and U17 squads since 2018.

By Rich

​Tony Jantschke is a 30-year-old defender for Borussia Mönchengladbach. Jantschke was born on April 7th, 1990 in Hoyerswerda, East Germany, and spent his youth career playing for Hoyerswerdaer SV Einheit from 1996 to 2001, FV Dresden-Nord from 2001 to 2006, and Borussia Mönchengladbach from 2006 to 2008. His senior career continued at Gladbach beginning in 2008, where he scored 2 goals in 22 appearances for Borussia Mönchengladbach II between 2008 and 2011, and 5 goals in more than 200 appearances for the senior squad since 2008. Jantschke also made 49 appearances for Germany’s U17, U18, U19, U20, and U21 squads between 2007 and 2013.