Sebastian Polter (born 1 April 1991) is a German professional footballer who plays as a striker. He last played for 2. Bundesliga club Schalke 04 and is currently a free agent.
![]() Polter playing for Union Berlin in 2015 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 1 April 1991 | ||
Place of birth | Wilhelmshaven, Germany | ||
Height | 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)[1] | ||
Position(s) | Striker | ||
Youth career | |||
1994–2003 | Heidmühler FC | ||
2003–2004 | SV Wilhelmshaven | ||
2004–2005 | Werder Bremen | ||
2005–2006 | SV Wilhelmshaven | ||
2006–2007 | Eintracht Braunschweig | ||
2007–2010 | VfL Wolfsburg | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2008–2012 | VfL Wolfsburg II | 68 | (19) |
2011–2013 | VfL Wolfsburg | 12 | (2) |
2012–2013 | → 1. FC Nürnberg (loan) | 26 | (5) |
2012–2013 | → 1. FC Nürnberg II (loan) | 2 | (1) |
2013–2015 | Mainz 05 | 13 | (0) |
2013–2014 | Mainz 05 II | 7 | (3) |
2014–2015 | → Union Berlin (loan) | 29 | (14) |
2015–2017 | Queens Park Rangers | 51 | (10) |
2017–2020 | Union Berlin | 72 | (30) |
2020–2021 | Fortuna Sittard | 32 | (9) |
2021–2022 | VfL Bochum | 33 | (10) |
2022–2024 | Schalke 04 | 31 | (5) |
2024 | → Darmstadt 98 (loan) | 9 | (0) |
International career | |||
2008–2009 | Germany U18 | 6 | (3) |
2012 | Germany U20 | 1 | (2) |
2012–2013 | Germany U21[2] | 10 | (4) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22 August 2024 |
Club career
editEarly career
editPolter played for VfL Wolfsburg II from July 2008 until June 2012.[3] During the 2008–09 season, Polter made 10 appearances without scoring a goal.[4] During the 2009–10 season, Polter scored three goals in 15 appearances.[5] During the 2010–11 season, Polter scored 11 goals in 25 appearances.[6] He played for both the first team and reserve team during the 2011–12 season.[7] He scored two goals in 12 appearances for the first team and five goals in 18 appearances for the reserve team.[7]
Polter played for 1. FC Nürnberg between July 2012 and June 2013 and for the reserve team in April 2013.[3] He scored five goals in 27 appearances for the first team and a goal in two appearances for the reserve team.[7]
Polter played for 1. FSV Mainz 05 between July 2013 and August 2014 and 1. FSV Mainz 05 II between September 2013 and June 2014.[3] For the first team, he played in 15 matches without scoring a goal, and for the reserve team, he scored three goals in seven appearances.[7]
In late August 2014, he was loaned to 2. Bundesliga club Union Berlin for the season.[3] He scored 14 goals in 29 appearances.[8]
Queens Park Rangers
editIn July 2015 it was announced that Queens Park Rangers had signed Polter from FSV Mainz 05 on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee. Polter made an instant impact on his debut scoring QPR's third goal in their 10–0 win over Italian side Verona Stars in the club's first pre-season fixture of the summer. Polter's league debut came in a 2–0 away loss to London rivals Charlton Athletic as he came on as a sub for Charlie Austin in the 84th minute.[9] His full debut came in a League Cup match against Yeovil Town, he scored the first goal for QPR as they secured a comfortable 3–0 victory.[10] He finished the 2015–16 season with seven goals in 33 appearances.[7] During the 2016–17 season for Queens Park Rangers, he scored 12 goals in 23 appearances.[7]
Union Berlin
editHe rejoined Union Berlin on 10 January 2017.[11] During the 2016–17 season for Union Berlin, he scored seven goals in 15 appearances.[7] He finished the 2017–18 season with 12 goals in 26 appearances.[12]
On 28 May 2020, Union Berlin president Dirk Zingler announced in a statement that Polter would not play for the club until the end of his contract in June, stating that Polter was the only member of the club that did not "stand up for each other and for our club," during the COVID-19 pandemic.[13] He had, as the sole member of the first team, refused to take a pay cut as the club was struggling financially due to the effects of the pandemic.[14]
Fortuna Sittard
editPolter signed a two-year contract with Dutch Eredivisie club Fortuna Sittard on 17 August 2020.[15][16]
VfL Bochum
editOn 13 August 2021, VfL Bochum signed Polter on a free transfer until 30 June 2023.[17]
Schalke 04
editOn 20 June 2022, Polter signed a three-year contract with Schalke 04, which promoted to the Bundesliga.[18] On 22 August 2024, he was released from his contract with the club.[19]
Loan to Darmstadt 98
editOn 1 February 2024, Polter was loaned to Bundesliga club Darmstadt 98 until the end of the season.[20]
International career
editPolter was a member of several German youth national teams and also appointed to the squad for 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Israel where Germany were eliminated at the group stage.
Career statistics
edit- As of 22 August 2024[7]
Club | Season | League | Cup[a] | League Cup[b] | Total | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
VfL Wolfsburg II | 2008–09 | Regionalliga Nord | 10 | 0 | — | — | 10 | 0 | ||
2009–10 | Regionalliga Nord | 15 | 3 | — | — | 15 | 3 | |||
2010–11 | Regionalliga Nord | 25 | 11 | — | — | 25 | 11 | |||
2011–12 | Regionalliga Nord | 18 | 5 | — | — | 18 | 5 | |||
Total | 68 | 19 | — | — | 68 | 19 | ||||
VfL Wolfsburg | 2011–12 | Bundesliga | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 12 | 2 | |
1. FC Nürnberg (loan) | 2012–13 | Bundesliga | 26 | 5 | 1 | 0 | — | 27 | 5 | |
1. FC Nürnberg II (loan) | 2012–13 | Regionalliga Bayern | 2 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 1 | ||
Mainz 05 | 2013–14 | Bundesliga | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 15 | 0 | |
Mainz 05 II | 2013–14 | Regionalliga Südwest | 7 | 3 | — | — | 7 | 3 | ||
Union Berlin (loan) | 2014–15 | 2. Bundesliga | 29 | 14 | 0 | 0 | — | 29 | 14 | |
Queens Park Rangers | 2015–16 | Championship | 31 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 33 | 7 |
2016–17 | Championship | 20 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 23 | 4 | |
Total | 51 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 56 | 11 | ||
Union Berlin | 2016–17 | 2. Bundesliga | 15 | 7 | 0 | 0 | — | 15 | 7 | |
2017–18 | 2. Bundesliga | 24 | 12 | 2 | 0 | — | 26 | 12 | ||
2018–19 | 2. Bundesliga | 20 | 9 | 1 | 2 | — | 21 | 11 | ||
2019–20 | Bundesliga | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 13 | 2 | ||
Total | 72 | 30 | 3 | 2 | — | 75 | 32 | |||
Fortuna Sittard | 2020–21 | Eredivisie | 32 | 9 | 2 | 1 | — | 34 | 10 | |
VfL Bochum | 2021–22 | Bundesliga | 33 | 10 | 3 | 1 | — | 36 | 11 | |
Schalke 04 | 2022–23 | Bundesliga | 19 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | 21 | 2 | |
2023–24 | 2. Bundesliga | 11 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | 13 | 3 | ||
2024–25 | 2. Bundesliga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||
Total | 31 | 5 | 4 | 0 | — | 35 | 5 | |||
Darmstadt 98 (loan) | 2023–24 | Bundesliga | 9 | 0 | — | — | 9 | 0 | ||
Career total | 386 | 108 | 15 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 406 | 113 |
- ^ Appearances in DFB-Pokal and KNVB Cup.
- ^ Appearances in EFL League Cup.
References
edit- ^ "Sebastian Polter". FC Schalke 04. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
- ^ "U 21-Männer: Sebastian Polter" [U 21-men: Sebastian Polter] (in German). DFB. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
- ^ a b c d "Sebastian Polter". World Football. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
- ^ "Sebastian Polter". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
- ^ "Sebastian Polter". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
- ^ "Sebastian Polter". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Sebastian Polter » Club matches". World Football. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
- ^ "Sebastian Polter". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
- ^ "Charlton 2–0 QPR". BBC Sport. 8 August 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
- ^ "Yeovil 0–3 QPR". BBC Sport. 12 August 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
- ^ ""Wie eine Heimkehr": Polter zurück bei Union Berlin". kicker.de (in German). kicker. 10 January 2017. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
- ^ "Sebastian Polter". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
- ^ "Polter won't play for Union in the Bundesliga". Union Berlin. 28 May 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
- ^ France, Sam (28 May 2020). "Polter exiled from Union Berlin squad for failing to uphold 'fundamental community values' of Bundesliga club | Goal.com". GOAL.
- ^ "Fortuna Sittard en Sebastian Polter vinden elkaar in tweejarig contract". Fortuna Sittard (in Dutch). 17 August 2020.
- ^ "Fortuna neemt in opspraak geraakte spits Polter over van Union Berlin". NU (in Dutch). 17 August 2020.
- ^ "Sebastian Polter joins VfL". VfL Bochum. 13 August 2021.
- ^ "FC Schalke 04 sign Sebastian Polter". Schalke 04. 20 June 2022. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
- ^ "Schalke 04 and Sebastian Polter agree to dissolve contract". FC Schalke 04. 22 August 2024.
- ^ "FC Schalke 04 loan out Sebastian Polter to SV Darmstadt 98". Schalke 04. 1 February 2024.
External links
edit- Sebastian Polter at fussballdaten.de (in German)
- Sebastian Polter at Soccerbase