1.08.2024Bayer 04

Birthday boy of the month IV: Frank Hejduk will be 50

Frank ‘Frankie’ Hejduk was born on 5 August 1974 in California in the small town of La Mesa in San Diego County. Frankie went to the San Dieguito High School where he played in the football team. He was also a member of the successful La Jolla Nomads Soccer Club that won the Californian youth championship in 1989, 1990 and 1991. After high school, Hejduk went to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He played to the UCLA Bruins for three seasons between 1992 and 1994. As a defender, he was the second top goalscorer in 1994 with six goals.

Display videos

Yes, I'd like to see videos dispalyed.

In February 1996, ahead of the start of the first American professional league, the Major League Soccer (MLS), Frankie was signed by Tampa Bay Mutiny. He established himself as a regular first choice there. His good performances during the football tournament at the Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996 brought him to the attention of clubs in Europe. One of those clubs was Bayer 04 Leverkusen. At the 1990 World Cup in France, Frankie Hejduk stood out in the first group match for the US Boys against Germany and shortly after that signs for Leverkusen.

There he became a regular starter at the end of the 1998/99 season as Bayer had a lot of injuries at that time. He made ten starts in the last eleven games and helped ensure Leverkusen a place in the Champions League. During that time he scored his only goal for our team.

He only made sporadic appearances in the Bundesliga in the following season. However, he did stand out with good performances in the Champions League. Frankie played a total of 28 games for Bayer 04 up to 2002. He won 85 caps for the USA between 1996 and 2009 and scored seven goals along the way. He also played for the USA Olympic team at the 2000 Olympic Games.

When he was at Bayer 04, Frankie liked to travel to the Dutch coast when he had the time. He is an enthusiastic surfer and was once National Junior High School surfing champion.

In August 2002, after not playing in the successful 2001/02 season for Bayer 04, Frankie went out on loan to FC St Gallen in Switzerland. He only played a few games there so he returned to the USA in 2003 to play for Columbus Crew in the MLS.

Frankie played up to 2011 finishing up at Los Angeles Galaxy. He ended his playing career in 2012 and returned to Columbus Crew. There he was a brand ambassador for the club and is still working with the club today.

With his wife Elissa he has three sons and one daughter.

Dear Frankie, many happy returns on your 50th and stay fit and healthy!

Related News

Heiko Scholz wird 60 | Geburtstagskind des Monats Januar

Bayer 04 - 01.01.2026

Birthday boy of the month: Heiko Scholz turns 60

Heiko Scholz was born on 7 January 1966 in Görlitz. His first club as a youth player was Dynamo Görlitz. From there, he moved up to the sports school in Dresden and played in the youth teams at SG Dynamo Dresden from 1978-1982. Not considered good enough, Scholle, as he was nicknamed, had to leave the sports school to play his last two youth years at ISG Hagenwerder. Via BSG Chemie Leipzig and 1.FC Lokomotive Leipzig, who Heiko won the DDR Pokal with in 1987 and he also reached the European Cup Winners' Cup final (a 1-0 defeat against Ajax), his path finally led him back to his favourite club, Dynamo Dresden. For one million Deutschmarks, the highest transfer fee ever paid for a player in the former GDR, he moved from Lok Leipzig to the capital of Saxony in 1990.

Stefan Kießling – Torjäger, Teamplayer und Klubidol | Legende des Monats Januar

Bayer 04 - 01.01.2026

Legends: Stefan Kießling - goalscorer, team player and club idol

Stefan Kießling was born on 25 January 1984 in Lichtenfels, Franconia. Even as a young boy, he spent countless hours on the football pitches of his home town, chasing after the ball and dreaming of playing football. His parents supported him, but they bring him up in a down-to-earth manner - hard work, honesty and modesty are values that characterise him from an early age. His talent became apparent early on, but his ambition was even more striking. Kießling always wants to improve, wants to give more than others.

Bayer 04 - 01.01.2026

From the archives: 90 years ago - a big match in Leverkusen

On Sunday 26 January 1936, the local derby between relegation-threatened BV Wiesdorf and league leaders SSV ‘Bayer’ Leverkusen took place in the first district league of the Rhein-Wupper district. On the old BV Wiesdorf pitch, where the Leverkusen job centre is today, 1,800 spectators gather to watch the match.

Vor 40 Jahren – Erster Bundesliga-Sieg in Müngersdorf | Spiel des Monats Januar

Bayer 04 - 01.01.2026

Match of the month: 40 years ago - First Bundesliga win in Müngersdorf

It is Friday, 31 January 1986, the derby in Cologne is coming up and we're full of confidence after the home win against Hamburg SV a week earlier, having turned a 2-0 deficit at the break into a 3-2 victory. In particular, the Greek amateur player Minas Hantzidis, who came on as a half-time substitute, turned the game around. Two goals from Bum-kun Cha and a penalty from Christian Schreier gave us two important points in the battle for a UEFA Cup place. We are one point behind the North Germans in fifth place in the table, six points ahead of our neighbours from Cologne.

Von Cha bis Baumgartlinger | Tore des Monats Januar

Bayer 04 - 01.01.2026

Goals of the month: From Cha to Baumgartlinger

In this video you can see impressive and important goals in Bayer 04 history from the month of January. It's not always about the beauty of the goals, but also a reminder of special games and players.