Per Mertesacker
Encyclopedia
Per Mertesacker (ˈpeːɐ̯ ˈmɛɐ̯təsʔakɐ; born 29 September 1984 in Hannover
) is a German
footballer who plays as a defender
for Arsenal
and Germany
. Mertesacker is a youth product of Hannover 96
and he made his senior league debut in November 2003. Mertesacker was soon dubbed "the Defence Pole" (die Abwehrlatte) by German tabloids and gained a reputation for his good disciplinary record and went 31 Bundesliga games without being booked. He is described as an imposing, reliable, dominant and an accomplished defender.
With SV Werder Bremen
, Mertesacker has won a DFB-Pokal
title and finished runner-up in the 2008–09 UEFA Cup. With his quiet but effective game, he established himself as Germany's first choice centre-back. He has won more than 75 international caps despite his young age. Prior to playing at senior level, he played at under-20 and under-21
level.In September 2004, Jürgen Klinsmann
, then-manager of Germany
, called Mertesacker up to the 9 October 2004 game against Iran
.
He made his debut less than two weeks after his twentieth birthday when he came on as a second-half substitute for Christian Wörns
. Over the course of his final two seasons at Werder Bremen, the defender received just one yellow card in 63 league matches. He has participated in the 2006
and 2010 FIFA World Cup
s and UEFA Euro 2008. In 2006, the defender established the 'Per-Mertesacker-Stiftung' - a charitable foundation that helps support amateur sportsmen and the poor.
, started out at local club Hannover 96
where he played under his father Stefan, one of the youth coaches, and made his league debut in November 2003 against 1. FC Köln
.But even though his abilities were undisputable, Mertesacker at that time was not seen as a exceptional talent and often thought about changing his sports.
Mertesacker, carried out his civil service during his 'apprenticeship' as a football pro in a center for handicapped people in Hanover. He had an unlucky start for his home club, breaking his nose and conceding an own goal soon after, but he established himself as one of the most promising young defenders in the Bundesliga
. The slender Mertesacker was soon dubbed "the Defence Pole" (die Abwehrlatte) by German tabloids and gained a reputation for his good disciplinary record and went 31 Bundesliga games without being booked.
His first 31 Bundesliga matches ended without a single Yellow card for the tall defender, bringing him the praise of sports magazine kicker as 'Mr. Clean' of the Bundesliga. He has only been booked twice during his entire career at Hannover. On 13 May 2006, he played his last game for Hannover 96 and fittingly scored the opening goal in a 2–2 draw against Bayer Leverkusen
.
During his time at Hannover 96, he was good friends with the late Robert Enke
, and along with Michael Ballack
, presented the laurel during the memorial in honour of Enke's death. He later started a temporary account through his foundation (Per Mertesacker Stiftung) to collect donations for Enke's widow.
In August 2006 Mertesacker moved to Werder Bremen
in a €
5 million transfer deal after a highly impressive performance in the 2006 World Cup
, in which Germany finished 3rd. Despite missing the first month and a half through an injury sustained at the World Cup, he quickly made the centre back position his own upon his return to the starting eleven.
In November, he scored his debut Champions League goal in a 1–0 win over Chelsea
to end the Premier League winners' unbeaten streak in the season's competition. Upon his first return to the AWD-Arena
for the first game of the second half of the season, he refused to celebrate after scoring against his boyhood club.
The 2007–08 season was a mixed bag for Mertesacker. He started in nearly all of Bremen's league and European fixtures and received his first red card in his professional career in a 6–3 loss against VfB Stuttgart
. Bremen finished runners-up in the league despite winning only two games fewer than champions Bayern Munich but they managed to seal a place in next season's Champions League
. At the end of the season, he signed a 2-year extension to his original contract.
After returning from the Euro 2008, Mertesacker again missed the beginning of the new season with a knee injury and through illness. In September, he returned to the starting line-up. He scored the opening goal in the German Cup
semifinal away at northern rivals Hamburg
to break the deadlock after a goalless first half but the home side equalised, forcing the match into extra time and Bremen eventually triumphed 4–2 on penalties.
He was ever present for the rest of the season until injury forced him off in the UEFA Cup semifinal second leg against Bundesliga rivals Hamburg. It was later revealed that he had torn ligaments in his right ankle and required surgery. He was ruled out for the rest of the season, as well as the UEFA Cup final
loss against Shakhtar Donetsk and German Cup final which they won. He scored four goals in all competitions, including a crucial equalizer against VfL Wolfsburg
.
Mertesacker began the 2009–10 season well with a 5–0 win over FC Union Berlin in the DFB-Pokal
, the first game of the season. In October, he scored his first goal of the season in a 2–0 win against Hoffenheim
and a last-minute equaliser in the clash against table-toppers Bayer Leverkusen
in February. He played 33 Bundesliga matches in total, scoring five goals in the process.
In the 2010–11 season, Mertesacker made 30 Bundesliga appearances, scoring two goals. He averaged 46.3 passes per game, the third highest in the Bremen squad, and the second highest pass success rate, with 82%, showing that his game is not simply about winning headers.
Over the course of his final two seasons at Bremen, the giant defender received just one yellow card in 63 league matches. Most people would expect that a central defender of Mertesacker's size would clumsily concede lots of fouls, but in fact, Mertesacker averaged less than one foul per game.
confirmed they had signed Mertesacker; this was soon after an 8–2 loss to Manchester United. He was presented the number 4 shirt previously worn by former team captain Cesc Fàbregas
. Mertesacker made his league debut in a 1–0 home win for Arsenal against Swansea City. He played the full 90 minutes. Mertesacker made his UEFA Champions League
debut for Arsenal away against Borussia Dortmund
, playing the full 90 minutes.He established himself as a starter after a string of impressive performance and an injury to Thomas Vermaelen. Mertesacker says he has had to improve quickly to adapt to the demands of the Premier League since joining Arsenal. He has been criticised for lacking pace and admits the added physicality is new to him.
, then-manager of Germany
, called Mertesacker up to the 9 October 2004 game against Iran
. He made his debut less than two weeks after his twentieth birthday when he came on as a second-half substitute for Christian Wörns
.
With his quiet but effective game, he established himself as Germany's first choice centre-back, pairing up with Robert Huth
, Christoph Metzelder
, and later, Heiko Westermann
. At the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup
hosted at home, he played the full 90 minutes in all five games and scored a goal in the group stages as Germany won third place.
At the World Cup 2006 on home soil, Mertesacker paired with Metzelder in central defence. After Germany won the quarter-final penalty shoot-out against Argentina, Mertesacker was attacked by Argentine Leandro Cufré
, an unused substitute. He suffered minor injuries to his thigh and a kick to the groin. After Germany's loss to Italy
in the semifinals, Mertesacker had surgery on one of his legs and left testicle (not related to the attack above, but an injury he had been dealing with during previous matches) and missed the third place play-off. Nevertheless, his good showing did earn him a transfer to Bundesliga giants Werder Bremen after the tournament.
He was first choice when fit during Euro 2008 and was ever present in the final tournament. Due to injury problems at the beginning of the 2009–10 season, he missed several 2010 World Cup qualifiers
but has retained his place as first choice since then. Mertesacker regularly wears the number 17 jersey. As of October 2011, he has won 78 international caps for Germany.
Also known for his durability Metesacker played whole 90 minutes in Germany's all seven games at the 2010 FIFA world cup in South Africa.
Despite often being criticized for being not vocal, he is a good defensive organizer. Mertesacker is also a neat distributer of the ball. He averaged 46.3 passes per game in 2010-2011 season, the third highest in the Bremen squad, and the second highest pass success rate, with 82%. Often Mertesacker is paired with a more mobile and faster defender who can track-back in counter attack situation like Mats Hummels
, Arne Friedrich
and more recently Laurent Koscielny
, though he had successfully formed one of the best defensive pairing in Bundesliga with the equally sized Naldo during his time at Werder Bremen.
is the girlfriend of Per Mertesacker. In November 2006, Mertesacker created the "Per Mertesacker Foundation" grassroot. This grassroot support that people in distress. A first charity match took place on 9 June 2007 between "Mertesacker & Friends" and the "Pocher Comedian Allstars" in Rudolf Kalweit stadium in Hanover, others in 2008 and 2009 (in this case against a selected team by Philipp Lahm
).
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
) is a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
footballer who plays as a defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
for Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
and Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
. Mertesacker is a youth product of Hannover 96
Hannover 96
Hannoverscher Sportverein von 1896, commonly referred to as Hannover 96, Hannover or simply 96, is a German association football club based in the city of Hanover, Lower Saxony.-Foundation to WWII:...
and he made his senior league debut in November 2003. Mertesacker was soon dubbed "the Defence Pole" (die Abwehrlatte) by German tabloids and gained a reputation for his good disciplinary record and went 31 Bundesliga games without being booked. He is described as an imposing, reliable, dominant and an accomplished defender.
With SV Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen is a German sports club best known for its association football team playing in Bremen, in the northwest German federal state of the same name. The club was founded on 4 February 1899 as Fußballverein Werder by a group of sixteen vocational high school students who had won a prize...
, Mertesacker has won a DFB-Pokal
DFB-Pokal
The DFB-Pokal or DFB Cup is a German knockout football cup competition held annually. 64 teams participate in the competition, including all clubs from the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga. It is considered the second most important national title in German football after the Bundesliga...
title and finished runner-up in the 2008–09 UEFA Cup. With his quiet but effective game, he established himself as Germany's first choice centre-back. He has won more than 75 international caps despite his young age. Prior to playing at senior level, he played at under-20 and under-21
Germany national under-21 football team
The Germany national under-21 football team represents the under-21s of Germany in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship and is controlled by the German Football Association , the governing body of football in Germany....
level.In September 2004, Jürgen Klinsmann
Jürgen Klinsmann
Jürgen Klinsmann is a German football manager and former player who is currently the coach of the United States Men's National Team. As a player, Klinsmann played for several prominent clubs in Europe and was part of the West German team that won the 1990 FIFA World Cup and the German one that...
, then-manager of Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
, called Mertesacker up to the 9 October 2004 game against Iran
Iran national football team
The national football team of Iran represents Iran in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran...
.
He made his debut less than two weeks after his twentieth birthday when he came on as a second-half substitute for Christian Wörns
Christian Wörns
Christian Wörns is a retired German footballer who played as a sweeper. Wörns was widely considered one of the finest German defenders of his generation and one of the best sweepers of his era. He started his career with Waldhof Mannheim but played the majority of his career with Bayer Leverkusen...
. Over the course of his final two seasons at Werder Bremen, the defender received just one yellow card in 63 league matches. He has participated in the 2006
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
and 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
s and UEFA Euro 2008. In 2006, the defender established the 'Per-Mertesacker-Stiftung' - a charitable foundation that helps support amateur sportsmen and the poor.
Hannover 96
Mertesacker, a native of HanoverHanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
, started out at local club Hannover 96
Hannover 96
Hannoverscher Sportverein von 1896, commonly referred to as Hannover 96, Hannover or simply 96, is a German association football club based in the city of Hanover, Lower Saxony.-Foundation to WWII:...
where he played under his father Stefan, one of the youth coaches, and made his league debut in November 2003 against 1. FC Köln
1. FC Köln
1. FC Köln is a German association football club based in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia. It was formed in 1948 as a merger of the clubs Kölner Ballspiel-Club 1901 and SpVgg Sülz 07....
.But even though his abilities were undisputable, Mertesacker at that time was not seen as a exceptional talent and often thought about changing his sports.
Mertesacker, carried out his civil service during his 'apprenticeship' as a football pro in a center for handicapped people in Hanover. He had an unlucky start for his home club, breaking his nose and conceding an own goal soon after, but he established himself as one of the most promising young defenders in the Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
. The slender Mertesacker was soon dubbed "the Defence Pole" (die Abwehrlatte) by German tabloids and gained a reputation for his good disciplinary record and went 31 Bundesliga games without being booked.
His first 31 Bundesliga matches ended without a single Yellow card for the tall defender, bringing him the praise of sports magazine kicker as 'Mr. Clean' of the Bundesliga. He has only been booked twice during his entire career at Hannover. On 13 May 2006, he played his last game for Hannover 96 and fittingly scored the opening goal in a 2–2 draw against Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer 04 Leverkusen is a German football club based in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia. It is the most well-known department of TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen, a sports club whose members also participate in athletics, gymnastics, basketball and other sports.-Origins and early years:On 27 November...
.
During his time at Hannover 96, he was good friends with the late Robert Enke
Robert Enke
Robert Enke was a German football goalkeeper.Enke played at leading clubs in several European countries, namely Barcelona, Benfica and Fenerbahçe, but made the majority of his appearances for Bundesliga side Hannover 96 in his homeland.He won eight full international caps for the German national...
, and along with Michael Ballack
Michael Ballack
Michael Ballack is a German professional footballer, who is currently playing for Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen. He is among the top goal scorers in the history of his international team. Ballack has worn the number 13 shirt for every team he has played for except for Kaiserslautern...
, presented the laurel during the memorial in honour of Enke's death. He later started a temporary account through his foundation (Per Mertesacker Stiftung) to collect donations for Enke's widow.
Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen is a German sports club best known for its association football team playing in Bremen, in the northwest German federal state of the same name. The club was founded on 4 February 1899 as Fußballverein Werder by a group of sixteen vocational high school students who had won a prize...
in a €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
5 million transfer deal after a highly impressive performance in the 2006 World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
, in which Germany finished 3rd. Despite missing the first month and a half through an injury sustained at the World Cup, he quickly made the centre back position his own upon his return to the starting eleven.
In November, he scored his debut Champions League goal in a 1–0 win over Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
to end the Premier League winners' unbeaten streak in the season's competition. Upon his first return to the AWD-Arena
AWD-Arena
The AWD-Arena is a football stadium in the district Calenberger Neustadt in Hanover, Lower Saxony, Germany, and competition venue of the German Bundesliga football club Hannover 96....
for the first game of the second half of the season, he refused to celebrate after scoring against his boyhood club.
The 2007–08 season was a mixed bag for Mertesacker. He started in nearly all of Bremen's league and European fixtures and received his first red card in his professional career in a 6–3 loss against VfB Stuttgart
VfB Stuttgart
Verein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart 1893 e. V., commonly known as VfB Stuttgart, is a German sports club based in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. The club is best known for its football team, which has participated in all but two Bundesliga seasons...
. Bremen finished runners-up in the league despite winning only two games fewer than champions Bayern Munich but they managed to seal a place in next season's Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
. At the end of the season, he signed a 2-year extension to his original contract.
After returning from the Euro 2008, Mertesacker again missed the beginning of the new season with a knee injury and through illness. In September, he returned to the starting line-up. He scored the opening goal in the German Cup
DFB-Pokal
The DFB-Pokal or DFB Cup is a German knockout football cup competition held annually. 64 teams participate in the competition, including all clubs from the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga. It is considered the second most important national title in German football after the Bundesliga...
semifinal away at northern rivals Hamburg
Hamburger SV
Hamburger Sport-Verein, usually referred to as HSV in Germany and Hamburg in international parlance, is a German multi-sport club based in Hamburg, its largest branch being its football department...
to break the deadlock after a goalless first half but the home side equalised, forcing the match into extra time and Bremen eventually triumphed 4–2 on penalties.
He was ever present for the rest of the season until injury forced him off in the UEFA Cup semifinal second leg against Bundesliga rivals Hamburg. It was later revealed that he had torn ligaments in his right ankle and required surgery. He was ruled out for the rest of the season, as well as the UEFA Cup final
2009 UEFA Cup Final
The 2009 UEFA Cup Final was the final match of the 2008–09 UEFA Cup, the 38th season of the UEFA Cup, UEFA's second-tier club football tournament. It was also the last final to be held under the UEFA Cup name, as the competition was rebranded as the UEFA Europa League from the 2009–10 season...
loss against Shakhtar Donetsk and German Cup final which they won. He scored four goals in all competitions, including a crucial equalizer against VfL Wolfsburg
VfL Wolfsburg
VfL Wolfsburg is a professional German association football club based in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, who play in the Bundesliga football competition. Wolfsburg have won the Bundesliga once in their history, in the 2008–09 season, and were DFB-Pokal runners-up in 1995. The current head coach is Felix...
.
Mertesacker began the 2009–10 season well with a 5–0 win over FC Union Berlin in the DFB-Pokal
DFB-Pokal
The DFB-Pokal or DFB Cup is a German knockout football cup competition held annually. 64 teams participate in the competition, including all clubs from the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga. It is considered the second most important national title in German football after the Bundesliga...
, the first game of the season. In October, he scored his first goal of the season in a 2–0 win against Hoffenheim
TSG Hoffenheim
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim is a German association football club based in Hoffenheim, a suburb of Sinsheim, Baden-Württemberg. In 2007 the club decided to adopt the use of the short form name 1899 Hoffenheim in place of the traditional TSG Hoffenheim...
and a last-minute equaliser in the clash against table-toppers Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer 04 Leverkusen is a German football club based in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia. It is the most well-known department of TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen, a sports club whose members also participate in athletics, gymnastics, basketball and other sports.-Origins and early years:On 27 November...
in February. He played 33 Bundesliga matches in total, scoring five goals in the process.
In the 2010–11 season, Mertesacker made 30 Bundesliga appearances, scoring two goals. He averaged 46.3 passes per game, the third highest in the Bremen squad, and the second highest pass success rate, with 82%, showing that his game is not simply about winning headers.
Over the course of his final two seasons at Bremen, the giant defender received just one yellow card in 63 league matches. Most people would expect that a central defender of Mertesacker's size would clumsily concede lots of fouls, but in fact, Mertesacker averaged less than one foul per game.
Arsenal
On 31 August 2011, ArsenalArsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
confirmed they had signed Mertesacker; this was soon after an 8–2 loss to Manchester United. He was presented the number 4 shirt previously worn by former team captain Cesc Fàbregas
Cesc Fàbregas
Francesc "Cesc" Fàbregas i Soler is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona.Fàbregas started his career as a trainee with Barcelona but was signed by Premier League side Arsenal in September 2003 at the age of 16...
. Mertesacker made his league debut in a 1–0 home win for Arsenal against Swansea City. He played the full 90 minutes. Mertesacker made his UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
debut for Arsenal away against Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund
Ballspielverein Borussia Dortmund, commonly BVB, are a German sports club based in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia. Dortmund are one of the most successful clubs in German football history. Borussia Dortmund play in the Bundesliga, the top league of German football...
, playing the full 90 minutes.He established himself as a starter after a string of impressive performance and an injury to Thomas Vermaelen. Mertesacker says he has had to improve quickly to adapt to the demands of the Premier League since joining Arsenal. He has been criticised for lacking pace and admits the added physicality is new to him.
International career
In September 2004, Jürgen KlinsmannJürgen Klinsmann
Jürgen Klinsmann is a German football manager and former player who is currently the coach of the United States Men's National Team. As a player, Klinsmann played for several prominent clubs in Europe and was part of the West German team that won the 1990 FIFA World Cup and the German one that...
, then-manager of Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
, called Mertesacker up to the 9 October 2004 game against Iran
Iran national football team
The national football team of Iran represents Iran in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran...
. He made his debut less than two weeks after his twentieth birthday when he came on as a second-half substitute for Christian Wörns
Christian Wörns
Christian Wörns is a retired German footballer who played as a sweeper. Wörns was widely considered one of the finest German defenders of his generation and one of the best sweepers of his era. He started his career with Waldhof Mannheim but played the majority of his career with Bayer Leverkusen...
.
With his quiet but effective game, he established himself as Germany's first choice centre-back, pairing up with Robert Huth
Robert Huth
Robert Huth is a German footballer who plays as a centre back for Premier League club Stoke City.Huth was signed for Chelsea from the youth system of German club Union Berlin in 2001 by then Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri. He joined Middlesbrough in 2006 and spent three years at the Riverside...
, Christoph Metzelder
Christoph Metzelder
Christoph Tobias Metzelder is a German footballer who plays for FC Schalke 04 as a central defender....
, and later, Heiko Westermann
Heiko Westermann
Heiko Westermann is a German footballer who plays as defender for Hamburger SV and the German national team. Westermann is known for his good all-round abilities and goal scoring...
. At the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup
2005 FIFA Confederations Cup
-Group B:---------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:-----Third place playoff:-Final:-Awards:-Goal scorers:5 goals Adriano4 goals Luciano Figueroa John Aloisi Michael Ballack...
hosted at home, he played the full 90 minutes in all five games and scored a goal in the group stages as Germany won third place.
At the World Cup 2006 on home soil, Mertesacker paired with Metzelder in central defence. After Germany won the quarter-final penalty shoot-out against Argentina, Mertesacker was attacked by Argentine Leandro Cufré
Leandro Cufré
Leandro Damián Cufré is an Argentinian footballer, currently plays as a defender for GNK Dinamo Zagreb.-Career:...
, an unused substitute. He suffered minor injuries to his thigh and a kick to the groin. After Germany's loss to Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
in the semifinals, Mertesacker had surgery on one of his legs and left testicle (not related to the attack above, but an injury he had been dealing with during previous matches) and missed the third place play-off. Nevertheless, his good showing did earn him a transfer to Bundesliga giants Werder Bremen after the tournament.
He was first choice when fit during Euro 2008 and was ever present in the final tournament. Due to injury problems at the beginning of the 2009–10 season, he missed several 2010 World Cup qualifiers
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)
The European zone of qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup saw 53 teams competing for 13 places at the finals. The qualification process started on 20 August 2008, after UEFA Euro 2008, and ended on 18 November 2009. The qualification process saw the first competitive matches of...
but has retained his place as first choice since then. Mertesacker regularly wears the number 17 jersey. As of October 2011, he has won 78 international caps for Germany.
Style of Play
At 1.98 m (6.5 ft), Mertesacker is commanding in the air but he is also sound in defending on the ground. He often uses his strength to shrug opponents off the ball and his standing tackle ability to win balls. He rarely slides or makes dirty tackles. Question marks have been raised about his speed and he had been badly exposed in a friendly against Poland. He compensates his speed for his excellent positional play. Despite his height he is regarded as a clean player as he is rarely booked. Due to his height and strength, Mertesacker is also a scoring threat in set-pieces.Also known for his durability Metesacker played whole 90 minutes in Germany's all seven games at the 2010 FIFA world cup in South Africa.
Despite often being criticized for being not vocal, he is a good defensive organizer. Mertesacker is also a neat distributer of the ball. He averaged 46.3 passes per game in 2010-2011 season, the third highest in the Bremen squad, and the second highest pass success rate, with 82%. Often Mertesacker is paired with a more mobile and faster defender who can track-back in counter attack situation like Mats Hummels
Mats Hummels
Mats Julian Hummels is a German footballer who plays for Borussia Dortmund, as a central defender.-Club career:...
, Arne Friedrich
Arne Friedrich
Arne Friedrich is a German international football defender, who plays for the German national team....
and more recently Laurent Koscielny
Laurent Koscielny
Laurent Koscielny is a French footballer who plays as a defender for Arsenal. He primarily plays as a centre back but he can also play as an right back, a position where he started his career. Koscielny is a youth product of Guingamp. He is described as an aggressive, uncompromising and...
, though he had successfully formed one of the best defensive pairing in Bundesliga with the equally sized Naldo during his time at Werder Bremen.
Personal life
Handballer Ulrike StangeUlrike Stange
Ulrike Stange is a German handballer. She plays for the German national team. Per Mertesacker is her boyfriend....
is the girlfriend of Per Mertesacker. In November 2006, Mertesacker created the "Per Mertesacker Foundation" grassroot. This grassroot support that people in distress. A first charity match took place on 9 June 2007 between "Mertesacker & Friends" and the "Pocher Comedian Allstars" in Rudolf Kalweit stadium in Hanover, others in 2008 and 2009 (in this case against a selected team by Philipp Lahm
Philipp Lahm
Philipp Lahm is a German footballer who plays for Bayern Munich and Germany. Lahm is also the captain for both the national team and Bayern....
).
Club
Statistics accurate as of 27 November 2011| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | ||
| Hannover 96 Hannover 96 Hannoverscher Sportverein von 1896, commonly referred to as Hannover 96, Hannover or simply 96, is a German association football club based in the city of Hanover, Lower Saxony.-Foundation to WWII:... |
2003–04 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004–05 | 31 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2005–06 | 30 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 5 | 0 | |
| Total | 74 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 82 | 8 | 0 | |
| Werder Bremen SV Werder Bremen SV Werder Bremen is a German sports club best known for its association football team playing in Bremen, in the northwest German federal state of the same name. The club was founded on 4 February 1899 as Fußballverein Werder by a group of sixteen vocational high school students who had won a prize... |
2006–07 | 25 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 35 | 4 | 0 |
| 2007–08 | 32 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 1 | 1 | |
| 2008–09 | 23 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 4 | 3 | |
| 2009–10 2009–10 Fußball-Bundesliga The 2009–10 Fußball-Bundesliga was the 47th season of the Fußball-Bundesliga, Germany's premier football league. The season commenced on 7 August 2009 with the traditional season opening match involving the defending champions VfL Wolfsburg and VfB Stuttgart. The last games were played on 8 May 2010... |
33 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 5 | 2 | |
| 2010–11 2010–11 Fußball-Bundesliga The 2010–11 Fußball-Bundesliga was the 48th season of the Fußball-Bundesliga, Germany's premier football league. The season started on the weekend of 21 August 2010 with the traditional season opening match involving the defending champions and ended with the last games on 14 May 2011. The winter... |
30 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2011–12 2011–12 Fußball-Bundesliga The 2011–12 Fußball-Bundesliga is the 49th season of the Fußball-Bundesliga, Germany's premier football league. The season started on 5 August 2011 with the season opening match involving defending champions Borussia Dortmund and will end with the last games on 5 May 2012... |
4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 147 | 12 | 5 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 50 | 3 | 0 | 212 | 16 | 6 | |
| Arsenal Arsenal F.C. Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups... |
2011–12 2011–12 in English football The 2011–12 season is the 132nd season of competitive football in England.The season began on 5 August 2011 for the Football Leagues, with the Premier starting eight days later, League Football Conference Starting one day before Premier League starts.The Championship, League One, and League Two... |
9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | |
| Career total | 230 | 19 | 5 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 55 | 3 | 0 | 308 | 22 | 6 | |
International
GermanyGermany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
- FIFA Confederations CupFIFA Confederations CupThe FIFA Confederations Cup is an association football tournament for national teams, currently held every four years by FIFA. It is contested by the winners of each of the six FIFA confederation championships , along with the FIFA World Cup winner and the host nation, to bring the number of teams...
: third place 20052005 FIFA Confederations Cup-Group B:---------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:-----Third place playoff:-Final:-Awards:-Goal scorers:5 goals Adriano4 goals Luciano Figueroa John Aloisi Michael Ballack... - European ChampionshipsUEFA European Football ChampionshipThe UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA . Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current...
: runner-up 2008 - FIFA World CupFIFA World CupThe FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
- Third Place: 20062006 FIFA World CupThe 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
- Third Place: 20102010 FIFA World CupThe 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
- Third Place: 2006