FC Schalke 04’s U19 team has reached the DFB Cup final. The last time S04 won the title was in 2005 – this is what became of the talents at the time.
For the first time in nine years, FC Schalke 04’s U19s have reached the final of the DFB Cup for juniors. In Potsdam, the Königsblauen will face 1. FC Köln in a western duel on Sunday (11 a.m., RS-Liveticker).
Norbert Elgert’s team has the chance to win the third title in the club’s history. After 2002, the last time this was achieved was in 2005 with a 3:1 victory over Tennis Borussia Berlin. We took a look at what has become of the talents from that year’s starting eleven.
Manuel Neuer: Not much more needs to be said about the then 18-year-old’s career. The keeper’s path led via Schalke to FC Bayern. In the meantime, Neuer, who is currently missing from Bayern due to a fractured fibula, has become a world champion, a ten-time German champion and has won the Champions League twice.
Durmus Bayram: The full-back went to Turkey after his youth days and, after an interim return to Schalke’s U23s, played for various clubs from the Bosporus for a year and a half until the end of his career in 2012. The now 37-year-old made 32 appearances in the Süper Lig and two UEFA Cup matches.
Hiannick Kamba (substitute after 54 minutes): The then 17-year-old defender passed through a few stations in higher-class amateur soccer, then was involved in an incredible story. In 2021, he was sentenced to three years and ten months in prison for insurance fraud. He had faked his death in an alleged car accident in the Congo.
André Kilian: Born in Herne, he spent most of his career with Schalke’s second team in the Regionalliga West and FC Homburg in the Südwest-Staffel. In 2010, he ventured on a year-long adventure abroad in Australia.
Mario Klinger: Back then he defended for 90 minutes, today Klinger plays for FC Stoppenberg in the Essen district league. Previously, the 36-year-old had played for various clubs between the 2nd Bundesliga and Oberliga, including Rot-Weiss Essen and 1. FC Kaiserslautern.
Niko Bungert: When the defender ended his career in 2019, he could look back on 166 appearances in the Bundesliga. Although he was offered a professional contract at Schalke, the Bochum-born defender was unable to establish himself.
Kevin Kisyna: Wattenscheid, Jahn Hiesfeld, Hammer SpVg and TuS Haltern – these were the midfielder’s clubs after his time at the Knappenschmiede.
Alexander Baumjohann: He was already considered a great talent at the time, but never rose above this status in the public perception. Nevertheless, Baumjohann had a remarkable career, playing for Gladbach and FC Bayern before returning to Schalke and winning the DFB Cup in 2011. Most recently, the 36-year-old was on tour in Australia.
Jens Grembowietz (substitution after 84 minutes): While other cup winners are still playing today, Grembowietz moved to the sidelines back in 2016 and coached several amateur clubs. For the new season, he will start at TVD Velbert. After this was announced ahead of time, his previous club Concordia Wiemelhausen parted ways with the former central defender.
Markus Heppke: The Essen native can look back on exactly one Bundesliga minute for the Schalkers. The scorer of the 3:1 goal in the 2005 final received more playing time in his subsequent appearances: In second division times, he wore the jersey of RWO, later also of RWE and WSV. Before Heppke drew a line in 2021, he played for Spvg. Schonnebeck.
Marco Perras (substitution after 90 minutes): After the Cup victory, the attacker moved back to his native Bavaria, where he played for various higher-class amateur clubs until 2017.
Serkan Durmaz: He spent his entire career in the Essen area. First with ETB Schwarz-Weiß, then with FC Kray, TGD Essen-West and SG Schönebeck. Since 2018, Durmaz has been part of the squad of the district league team Bader SV.
Sebastian Boenisch (substitution after 80 minutes): The full-back was only substituted in the DFB Cup as a youngster, later making eleven appearances in the Champions League for Werder Bremen and Bayer Leverkusen. Before that, the Deutschpole had also made a few appearances for Schalke’s professionals.
Tolga Öztürk: With a brace, the striker turned the deficit in the final and became the man of the match. In his senior career, he played in the former NRW-Liga for SG Wattenscheid and VfB Hüls. After playing for other amateur clubs in the region, the goal scorer retired in 2018.
Salih Altin: In his third league days, the midfielder was part of the Wuppertaler SV squad, but he currently plays for Duisburg’s A-Ligisten TuS Alsterlagen and wants to make the leap to the Bezirksliga with the club.