Matthias Lehmann is a German footballer who is the captain of German side 1. FC Köln.
| Matthias Lehmann | ||
| ||
| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Matthias Lehmann | |
| Date of birth | 28 May 1983 | |
| Place of birth | Ulm,  West Germany
| |
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) | |
| Playing position | Midfielder | |
| Nationality | Germany | |
| Club information | ||
| Current club | 1. FC Köln
| |
| Number | 33 | |
| Youth clubs | ||
| 1987-1994 1994-2000 | VfL Ulm SSV Ulm 1846
| |
| Senior clubs | ||
| Years | Club | App (Gls) |
| 2000-2001 2001-2003 2003-2004 2003-2006 2006 2006-2009 2009-2011 2011-2012 2012 | SSV Ulm 1846 VfB Stuttgart II TSV 1860 München II TSV 1860 München Alemannia Aachen II Alemannia Aachen FC St Pauli Eintracht Frankfurt 1. FC Köln
| 4 (0) 58 (8) 13 (3) 81 (12) 1 (0) 95 (14) 66 (13) 26 (0) 155 (5) |
| National team | ||
| 2001-2002 2002-2004 2004-2006 | Germany U19 Germany U20 Germany U21 | 9 (0) 17 (0) 15 (2) |
Early career
Lehmann began playing football at the age of 4, with the children's section of Vfl Ulm. At the age of eight he joined rivals SSV Ulm 1846, and rose to the youth A team.
Club career
Lehmann signed a professional contract with SSV Ulm 1846, and made his debut in the 2. Bundesliga in the 2000-01 season.
He moved to VFB Stuttgart, and played for the second team. At the end of the 2001-02 season the team were relegated.
Lehmann joined 1860 München at the start of the 2003-04 season. He was relegated again at the end of that season, but remained at the club and had three successful seasons with them. He was appointed captain of the side in the 2004-05 season, at the age of 22, becoming the youngest captain in the club's history.
Matthias Lehmann in action for 1. FC Köln
At the beginning of the 2006-07 season, he joined Alemannia Aachen and played for both the first and reserve teams. He made 95 appearances for the club, scoring 14 goals. The team were newly-promoted to the Bundesliga, and Lehmann's tough but effective tackling earned him a reputation as a top performer and cemented his position in the starting lineup.
He spent the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons with FC St. Pauli, then joined Eintracht Frankfurt in June 2011.
In June 2012, Lehmann signed for 1. FC Köln. He did not score in either of his first two seasons with the club, but returned to form (and was made captain) during the 2014-15 season.
Playing style and personality
Lehmann has been recognised as a tough but effective tackler, peforming a "sweeping up" role in the defensive midfield.
An embarrassed Matthias Lehmann leaves the field to put on underwear after a mid-match downpour rendered his kit nearly transparent.
Lehmann has gained a certain notoriety for never wearing underwear while playing. This came to media attention during a match against Darmstadt in August 2016, when a sudden downpour caused the white Köln kit to become almost completely transparent. Lehmann, who as usual had nothing on underneath his shorts, was so embarrassed that he left the pitch, desperately trying to preserve his modesty with his hands. He emerged minutes later, having found and put on underwear. After the match he apologised for the delay, stating, "it wasn't quite kosher anymore: too much of me was visible." The incident does not appear to have altered his kit preferences, however, and Lehmann still resolutely plays without underwear in all weathers.
