29.03.2023Bayer 04

Gold for Wirtz – top DFB award for Bayer 04 player

Bayer 04 player Florian Wirtz yesterday, Tuesday, received the most important youth award in German football in Cologne. At the friendly between Germany and Belgium in Cologne (2-3), the Leverkusen international star was awarded the gold Fritz Walter Medal by the German Football Association (DFB). The announcement of the award to the 19-year-old was made in November 2022. Ahead of kick-off yesterday, the DFB used the big stage to officially present Wirtz as the best U19 player in 2022 in front of a full house of 42,910 spectators at the Müngersdorf Stadium stadium.

Alongside Florian Wirtz, Lisanne Gräwe and Clara Fröhlich from the Bayer 04 Women's team also received their award averaging receive their medals at the end of February. The international friendlies against Peru and Belgium were the first games for Wirtz in a Germany shirt since his cruciate injury in March 2022. The sporting director of the national teams, Panagiotis Chatzialexiou, and Heike Ullrich, as general secretary of the DFB, used the home game in Cologne to present the awards.

This is the second time Wirtz has received the highest award for youth players from the German Football Association (DFB). The forward received the gold Fritz Walter Medal as the top player in the U17 age group in 2020.

The Fritz Walter Medal:

The Fritz Walter Medal is the highest individual award in German youth football and is awarded annually to the best male and female players in the U17 and U19 age groups in gold silver and bronze. Wirtz, at the Werkself since January 2020, follows in impressive footsteps as a winner of this award at Bayer 04: Jonathan Tah won gold in 2015 in the U19 category and Benjamin Henrichs won the gold medal in the same age group the following year, and Kai Havertz achieved the same feat in 2018.

Leverkusen winners of the Fritz Walter Medal:

2022: Florian Wirtz (U19/gold), Lisanne Gräwe (U19 Women/gold), Clara Fröhlich (U17 Women/gold)

2020: Florian Wirtz (U17/gold)

2018: Kai Havertz (U19/gold)

2016: Benjamin Henrichs (U19/gold); Kai Havertz (U17/silver)

2015: Jonathan Tah (U19/gold)

2014: Julian Brandt (U18/gold); Levin Öztunali (U18/silver)

2013: Dominik Kohr (U19/bronze)

2012: Dominik Kohr (U18/bronze)

2010: Kolja Pusch (U17/bronze)

2008: Marcel Risse (U19/bronze); Richard Sukuta-Pasu (U18/bronze)

2007: Stefan Reinartz (U18/bronze); Nils Teixeira (U17/bronze)

Photo (DFB/GES) from left to right.: Panagiotis Chatzialexiou (Sporting director of national teams, Florian Wirtz (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Heike Ullrich (DFB general secretary)

Related News

Women - 11.12.2025

Women in final Hinrunde game at Werder Bremen

The penultimate Bundesliga matchday of the calendar year marks the end of an eventful first half of the season for the Bayer 04 Women. After seven wins, one draw and four defeats from the first twelve games of the season, coach Roberto Pätzold's team can go above Werder Bremen in the table with a win on Friday, 12 December (kick-off: 18:30 CET).

eSports - 11.12.2025

#B04eSports: Match between the two Showdown winners opens the third event

The third showdown in the VBL Club Championship 2025/26 kicks off for the Leverkusen eSports team this Thursday, 11 December (live on the B04eSports Twitch channel from 19:00 CET). In the online preliminary round, the Black and Red will once again take on six previously drawn opponents for a place in the Top 16 and the associated entry into the offline knockout round, which will take place at this third showdown on 19 December in Cologne. Showdown One winners Bayer 04 will face FC St. Pauli, who won the second showdown last month, among others. The lowdown on first three opponents in this online preliminary round.

Alejandro Grimaldo, Ibrahim Maza und Christian Kofane

Champions League - 10.12.2025

Werkself level late in 2-2 draw with Newcastle United

Alejandro Grimaldo, of course! With his late equaliser (88') in the Champions League clash against Newcastle United, the Spaniard rescued a point for the Werkself, who took the lead through an own goal by Newcastle's Bruno Guimaraes (13') but went with two goals for the visitors scored by Anthony Gordon (51') and Lewis Miley (74'). It was the third draw for Bayer 04 in the current 2025/26 campaign on matchday 6 in the UCL league phase.

Champions League - 10.12.2025

Matchday news #B04NEW: Take on Newcastle with efficiency and quick transitions

The Werkself will be looking to continue their run in the Champions League against Newcastle United on Wednesday, 10 December (kick-off: 21:00 CET). The two victories without conceding a goal at Benfica (1:0) and Manchester City (2-0) will hopefully be followed by a win at home at the BayArena. Against the English side, who have a player with a Black and Red past in their ranks, the way to victory could be through efficiency in attack and quick transitional play. The latter in particular has recently caused the Magpies problems away from home on the European stage. Fans can also get the stylish matchday sticker for their Sound of Dreams tour pass at the Bayer 04 Fanwelt. The matchday news.

Jubel nach dem 1:0 gegen Newcastle United

U19 - 10.12.2025

2-1 against Newcastle United- U19s though to Youth League knockout phase for the first time

For the first time ever, Bayer 04 have reached the knockout phase of the UEFA Youth League. At the end of the league phase, the Leverkusen U19s secured a 2-1 home win against Newcastle United on Wednesday, 10 December. Montrell Culbreath scored before half-time and Ferdinand Pohl doubled the lead after the restart in the clash with the English side. The UCL youth competition continues at the beginning of February with the Round of 32, which will be played away from home without a second leg.