Bundesliga
Who are the Bundesliga captains for 2024/25?
Bundesliga captains will have extra responsibility this year with a new rule permitting only the man with the armband to talk to the referee.
With that in mind, there's no better time for bundesliga.com to run through the 18 men who will be leading their teams out this season...
Bayer Leverkusen: Lukáš Hrádecký
Double-winning goalkeeper Hrádecký will captain Xabi Alonso’s men once again in the upcoming season. The ever-reliable Finnish shot-stopper is going into his seventh season with the club, having joined from Bundesliga rivals Eintracht Frankfurt in 2018.
Watch: Lukas Hradecky gearing up for title party
Having lost captain Waturu Endō to Liverpool in 2023, VfB have had the misfortune again with his replacement, Waldemar Anton, joining Borussia Dortmund. After taking the armband in pre-season, Atakan Karazor has now been given the honour full-time. Head coach Sebastian Hoeneß said: "He's one of the most experienced players in the squad and identifies with the club to a high degree. He was already an important contact for me last season, as well as an absolute top performer and leader on the pitch."
Bayern and Germany stalwart Manuel Neuer will keep the captaincy ahead of the new season. With almost 350 Bundesliga appearances for the club so far, new head coach Vincent Kompany will no doubt need the 38-year-old’s leadership skills ahead of an important season, as well as those of other experienced players such as Thomas Müller and Joshua Kimmich.
Watch: Manuel Neuer - The sweeper keeper
The long-serving Péter Gulácsi handed over his captain’s armband to fellow Hungarian Willi Orbán last summer, stepping down to vice-captain but still leading the team’s council. The decision proved to be wise, as Gulácsi spent much of the season injured, allowing Orbán to come into his own and guide the team ahead, something he’ll do again this term.
The former Bayern, Leverkusen, Liverpool and Juventus midfield wore the armband last season as his side reached a Champions League final and will hope to do so again this year. The Germany international has proven to be a strong leader since joining in 2020 and will continue to be relied upon by new boss Nuri Şahin ahead of the new season.
Watch: The best of Emre Can in 2023/24
Eintracht Frankfurt: Kevin Trapp
Eintracht's captaincy became vacant at the close of the 2023/24 season when club great Sebastian Rode retired. Goalkeeper Kevin Trapp stepped in on multiple occasions last term, and the Eagles have now confirmed that he will take on the responsibilty on a permanent basis.
The veteran goalkeeper, and member of Germany’s Euro 2024 squad, will captain the side once again this season. Baumann, who has been with the club since leaving Freiburg in 2014, will also captain the club European competition again too as they qualified for the Europa Conference League in the 2023-24 season.
After a fantastic first season in the Bundesliga which saw the club achieve European football with their 8th place finish, Frank Schmidt will keep Patrick Mainka as his captain. Mainka, who has been with the club since 2018, will be supported in his role by a leadership role consisting of 37-year-old defender Norman Theuerkauf and midfielder Lennard Maloney.
Austrian defender and former Bayern academy player Marco Friedl will captain Ole Werner’s men in the upcoming season. Friedl has been a consistent performer for the club since joining in 2019 and will now enjoy another season with their legendary armband.
With former head coach Christian Streich departing the club this summer after over a decade at the helm, which involved a DFB Cup and European football, Freiburg will look for some continuity with the leadership of Christian Günter. Fan favourite and one-club man Günter will now add to his 317 Bundesliga appearances for the club under a new head coach Julian Schuster.
Following the departure of Ermedin Demirović to Stuttgart, Dutch defender Jeffrey Gouweleeuw has been reinstated as club captain for the 2024/25 season, previously wearing the armband before the 2023/24 term. He has been with the club since 2016 and will be hoping to fill the void left by the Bosnian forward.
Wolfsburg’s academy product and midfield maestro Maximilian Arnold will once again be wearing the captain’s armband next season. The midfielder will no doubt play an important role in new head coach Ralph Hasenhüttl’s squad next season as they look to challenge for European football.
Watch: Maximilian Arnold's wondergoal against Frankfurt
Mainz's Swiss defender Silvan Widmer will keep the captaincy in the 2024-25 season, after a tough 2023-24 season. Nevertheless, Widmer’s leadership qualities have not diminished and head coach Bo Henriksen will be relying upon him in his first full Bundesliga season in the 05ers' dugout.
Borussia Mönchengladbach: Jonas Omlin
Goalkeeper Jonas Omlin will retain the captain’s armband in the 2024-25 season. The goalkeeper joined the club in 2023 from French side Montpellier and was named as club captain following the departure of Lars Stindl, who had joined boyhood club Karlsruher.
Union Berlin: Christopher Trimmel
Having now been at the club for just over a decade, Christopher Trimmel will spend another season captaining the Berlin side at der Alten Försterei. At 37-years-old, Trimmel’s experience and connection to the fans will be invaluable to new manager Bo Svensson.
Watch: Trimmel "proud" of becoming Union's record appearance maker
Frenchman Losilla has been with Bochum since 2014, when he joined from Dynamo Dresden. Losilla captained the side last season as they avoided relegation to the Bundesliga 2 by winning their playoff against Fortuna Düsseldorf, and he will lead the side again this year under coach Peter Zeidler.
Australia international Irvine wore the armband for St. Pauli last season as they claimed the Bundesliga 2 title, and will do so again this season. This will be both Irvine and coach Alexander Blessin’s first time in the Bundesliga.
With previous Bundesliga experience at Bochum, Mainz, Schalke and Hamburg, Lewis Holtby returns to the league with Holstein Kiel as captain. At 33 years old, Holtby has grown into a leader upon which the Kiel squad can rely on in the club’s first season in the Bundesliga.