Stefan Leitl
Encyclopedia
Stefan Leitl is a German
footballer who plays as a midfielder
for FC Ingolstadt 04
.
, before joining the youth setup
of Bayern Munich in 1987. He left the club to join SpVgg Unterhaching
, but returned, and began playing for the reserve team in 1995. A year later he was promoted to the senior squad, but did not make any first-team appearances, continuing to play for the reserves in the Regionalliga Süd
. In 1998, he left FC Bayern, joining local amateur side SV Lohhof
, with whom he won the Oberliga Bayern
, securing promotion to the Regionalliga. He left, however, joining 1. FC Nuremberg, then of the 2. Bundesliga
.
After two years Nuremberg were promoted to the Bundesliga
as champions, where Leitl found his opportunities limited – after just five appearances he left the club half-way through the 2001–02 season, dropping back down a division to return to Unterhaching. He could not prevent them being relegated down to the Regionalliga, but played in 33 of 36 games the following season as they won the title, finishing ahead of Jahn Regensburg
on goals scored. Leitl had now been a champion at the top four levels of German football
.
The following season Leitl had lost his place, and only played 13 games, mostly as a substitute. He left the club in July 2004, joining Darmstadt, where he spent three seasons in the Regionalliga, leaving in 2007 after the club were relegated. He returned to Bavaria
to sign for FC Ingolstadt 04
, where he established himself as a key player, captaining the club to promotion as league runners-up. Ingolstadt were relegated after one season, but bounced back in 2010, beating Hansa Rostock in a playoff to return to the 2. Bundesliga.
Leitl started the 2010–11 season with a goal in a DFB-Pokal
match against Karlsruher SC
, the first goal at Ingolstadt's new Audi Sportpark
.
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 midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
for FC Ingolstadt 04
FC Ingolstadt 04
FC Ingolstadt 04 is a German football club based in Ingolstadt, Bavaria. The club was founded in 2004 out of the merger of the football sides of two other clubs: ESV Ingolstadt and MTV Ingolstadt.-ESV Ingolstadt:...
.
Career
Leitl played as a youth for FC IsmaningFC Ismaning
FC Ismaning is a German association football club based in the district of Ismaning in Munich, Bavaria.-History:The 700 member club was founded in March 1921 and played in lower tier competition until the mid-90s when the footballers advanced for the first time to the Landesliga Bayern-Süd...
, before joining the youth setup
Bayern Munich Junior Team
Bayern Munich Junior Team is the youth academy for German football club Bayern Munich. The Junior Team was created in 1902and restructured in 1995 has educated many players who have become regulars in the Fußball-Bundesliga and the Germany national football team, such as Thomas Müller, Andreas...
of Bayern Munich in 1987. He left the club to join SpVgg Unterhaching
SpVgg Unterhaching
Spielvereinigung Unterhaching is a German sports club in Unterhaching, a semi-rural municipality on the southern outskirts of the Bavarian capital Munich....
, but returned, and began playing for the reserve team in 1995. A year later he was promoted to the senior squad, but did not make any first-team appearances, continuing to play for the reserves in the Regionalliga Süd
Regionalliga Süd
The Regionalliga Süd is currently the fourth tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga in 2008, it was the third tier. It currently is the highest regional league for the southern part of Germany...
. In 1998, he left FC Bayern, joining local amateur side SV Lohhof
SV Lohhof
SV Lohhof is a German association football club from the Lohhof district of Unterschleißheim, Bavaria, north of Munich. The footballers are part of a sports club that includes departments for athletics, badminton, gymnastics, martial arts, swimming, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, as well as...
, with whom he won the Oberliga Bayern
Oberliga Bayern
The Fußball-Bayernliga, commonly referred to as the Bayernliga, is the highest football league in the state of Bavaria and the Bavarian Football League System. It is one of eleven Oberligas in German football, the fifth tier of the German football league system...
, securing promotion to the Regionalliga. He left, however, joining 1. FC Nuremberg, then of the 2. Bundesliga
2. Fußball-Bundesliga
- Changes in division set-up :* Number of clubs: currently 18. From 1974 to 1981 there were two conferences, each of 20 teams. In 1981–91 it had 20...
.
After two years Nuremberg were promoted to 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...
as champions, where Leitl found his opportunities limited – after just five appearances he left the club half-way through the 2001–02 season, dropping back down a division to return to Unterhaching. He could not prevent them being relegated down to the Regionalliga, but played in 33 of 36 games the following season as they won the title, finishing ahead of Jahn Regensburg
Jahn Regensburg
SSV Jahn Regensburg is a German association football club based in Regensburg, Bavaria. The team was part of a larger sports club founded in 1889 as Turnerbund Jahn Regensburg which took its name from Friedrich Ludwig Jahn, whose ideas of gymnastics greatly influenced German sport in the 19th...
on goals scored. Leitl had now been a champion at the top four levels of German football
German football league system
The German football league system, or league pyramid, refers to a series of hierarchically interconnected leagues for association football clubs in Germany that consists of over 2,300 men's divisions, in which all leagues are bound together by the principle of promotion and relegation...
.
The following season Leitl had lost his place, and only played 13 games, mostly as a substitute. He left the club in July 2004, joining Darmstadt, where he spent three seasons in the Regionalliga, leaving in 2007 after the club were relegated. He returned to Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
to sign for FC Ingolstadt 04
FC Ingolstadt 04
FC Ingolstadt 04 is a German football club based in Ingolstadt, Bavaria. The club was founded in 2004 out of the merger of the football sides of two other clubs: ESV Ingolstadt and MTV Ingolstadt.-ESV Ingolstadt:...
, where he established himself as a key player, captaining the club to promotion as league runners-up. Ingolstadt were relegated after one season, but bounced back in 2010, beating Hansa Rostock in a playoff to return to the 2. Bundesliga.
Leitl started the 2010–11 season with a goal in 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...
match against Karlsruher SC
Karlsruher SC
Karlsruher SC is a German association football club, based in Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg. KSC rose out of the consolidation of a number of predecessor clubs. They currently play in the 2...
, the first goal at Ingolstadt's new Audi Sportpark
Audi Sportpark
Audi Sportpark is a 15,000-capacity stadium in Ingolstadt, Germany. It is primarily used for football and is the home of FC Ingolstadt 04.-External links:* *...
.
Honours
- BundesligaFußball-BundesligaThe 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...
: 1996–97 - DFB Liga-Pokal: 19971997 DFB-LigapokalThe 1997 DFB-Ligapokal was the inaugural DFB Liga-Pokal, a pre-season competition in Germany. The Ligapokal was an extended Supercup, including the reigning League champions, Cup winners, plus the next four highest placed teams in the previous season's Bundesliga...
- DFB-PokalDFB-PokalThe 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...
: 1997–98 - Oberliga Bayern: 1998–99
- 2. Bundesliga2. Fußball-Bundesliga- Changes in division set-up :* Number of clubs: currently 18. From 1974 to 1981 there were two conferences, each of 20 teams. In 1981–91 it had 20...
: 2000–01 - Regionalliga SüdRegionalliga SüdThe Regionalliga Süd is currently the fourth tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga in 2008, it was the third tier. It currently is the highest regional league for the southern part of Germany...
: 2002–03