Thomas Kessler
_by_Sandro_Halank%E2%80%93388.jpg) Kessler in 2018 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 20 January 1986 | ||
| Place of birth | Cologne, West Germany | ||
| Height | 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | 1. FC Köln (Director of football) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1996–2000 | Grün-Weiß Brauweiler | ||
| 2000–2004 | 1. FC Köln | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2004–2020 | 1. FC Köln II | 50 | (0) |
| 2007–2020 | 1. FC Köln | 30 | (0) |
| 2010–2011 | → FC St. Pauli (loan) | 26 | (0) |
| 2011–2012 | → Eintracht Frankfurt (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| Total | 110 | (0) | |
| International career | |||
| 2002 | Germany U16 | 1 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2021– | 1. FC Köln (Director of football) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Thomas Kessler (born 20 January 1986) is a German former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He is currently the director of football at 1. FC Köln.
Club career
[edit]Kessler was born in Cologne and moved from Grün-Weiß Brauweiler to 1. FC Köln in 2000 at the age of 14, where he came through the clubs academy, all the way up to the first and second teams.[1] In 2007, he became a permanent part of the clubs first team squad, after training with the team during a training camp in the winter break. At the same time, he also signed his first contract with the club.[1] He made his debut for 1. FC Köln in the 2006–07 season in the 2. Bundesliga against Kickers Offenbach on May 13, 2007, after replacing Stefan Wessels who broke a rib in that game.
Kessler joined Bundesliga club FC St. Pauli on loan in June 2010 for two years.[2] On 12 September 2010, he made his debut for FC St. Pauli in a league fixture against his former club, in Cologne. However, when FC St. Pauli's relegation became apparent, he exercised a contract option that allowed him to opt out of his contract after one year.[3] He was then loaned out to relegated Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt for the 2011/12 season.[4]
After Frankfurt were promoted back to the Bundesliga, Kessler returned to 1. FC Köln, who had been relegated to the 2. Bundesliga, but whose sporting management had already decided to count on Timo Horn as their first choice well before the start of the 2012/13 season.[5] Horn was injured during the 2016/17 Bundesliga season, which is why Kessler played 13 consecutive games in goal for Köln in that season. In May 2019, Kessler signed a new contract until June 2020.[6] After the contract expired, Cologne offered Kessler to stay at the club in another management position, but also announced that they would not offer him a new contract as a player.[7]
After the 2019/20 season, Kessler began a 24-month trainee program following. After Horst Heldt left Köln in June 2021, Kessler was named the new head of the clubs professional department.[8] In May 2023, Kessler extended his contract with Köln.[9]
International career
[edit]Kessler represented the Germany national under-16 football team once in 2002.[10]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Thomas Kessler – Loyaler Derbyheld, brand.uhlsport.com
- ^ "Vom Rhein ans Millerntor: Kessler ist da!" (in German). FC St. Pauli. 23 June 2010. Archived from the original on 3 October 2011. Retrieved 16 July 2011.
- ^ Die wahren Gründe für Kesslers Ausbootung, kicker.de, 5 April 2011
- ^ Kessler-Wechsel nach Frankfurt perfekt, spox.com, 14 June 2011
- ^ Youngster Timo Horn wird neue Nummer eins, spox.com, 30 May 2012
- ^ Torwart Thomas Kessler verlängert beim 1. FC Köln, bundesliga.com, 25 May 2019
- ^ 1. FC Köln: Kein neuer Profi-Vertrag für Thomas Kessler, bundesliga.com, 28 April 2020
- ^ Heldt-Aus perfekt! Jörg Jakobs und Thomas Kessler übernehmen, geissblog.koeln, 30 May 2021
- ^ FC sorgt für Kontinuität: Kessler verlängert, kicker.de, 16 May 2023
- ^ "Thomas Kessler Personenprofil".
External links
[edit]- Thomas Kessler at fussballdaten.de (in German)
- Thomas Kessler Interview
  | This biographical article related to association football in Germany, about a goalkeeper, is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- 1986 births
- Living people
- German men's footballers
- Footballers from Cologne
- Men's association football goalkeepers
- Germany men's youth international footballers
- 1. FC Köln players
- 1. FC Köln II players
- FC St. Pauli players
- Eintracht Frankfurt players
- Bundesliga players
- 2. Bundesliga players
- Regionalliga players
- 21st-century German sportsmen
- 1. FC Köln non-playing staff
- German football goalkeeper stubs