Thomas Hitzlsperger

German midfielder who won the Bundesliga with Stuttgart and later came out as the highest-profile gay male footballer.

Thomas Hitzlsperger (born 5 April 1982) is a German football executive and former professional player who played as a midfielder. He is currently a board member at Serie B club Hellas Verona.

Quick Facts

Born: 5 April 1982
Birthplace: Munich, West Germany
Height: 1.84 m / 6 ft
Position: Midfielder
Current club: Hellas Verona (board member)
Total caps: 259
Total goals: 31

Lore & Background

Hitzlsperger spent the early part of his career with Aston Villa in England, before returning to Germany to play for Stuttgart, where he was a member of the team which won the Bundesliga in 2007. In 2010, he signed for Italian side Lazio, before moving back to England to join West Ham United later that year. He then had brief spells with Wolfsburg and Everton. Hitzlsperger also represented the Germany national team, earning 52 caps and being selected for the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008. Following a series of injuries, he retired from football in September 2013. After his retirement, he came out as gay, the highest-profile male footballer in the world to do so.

Reader's Guide

Hitzlsperger joined the Bayern Munich Junior Team but agreed to leave at the end of the 1999–2000 season. He made his Aston Villa debut in a 3–0 home defeat to Liverpool on 13 January 2001. He was briefly loaned to Chesterfield during the 2001–02 season. He scored his first senior goal on 20 April 2002 against Leicester City. He signed for VfB Stuttgart in summer 2005 and won the Bundesliga in 2007. He moved to Lazio on 31 January 2010, scoring his only goal for them on 15 May. He signed for West Ham United in June 2010, making his debut on 21 February 2011. He signed for Wolfsburg on 17 August 2011 and for Everton on 19 October 2012. He announced his retirement in September 2013. He became Head of Sport of VfB Stuttgart on 12 February 2019, later CEO, and resigned in January 2022. In January 2025, he joined Hellas Verona as a board member.

Did You Know?

Hitzlsperger gained the nickname 'The Hammer' during his time at Aston Villa due to his powerful left-foot shot.
He acquired an unusual Brummie-German hybrid accent during his spell at Aston Villa.
He ended his eight-year relationship with his girlfriend Inga in June 2007, one month before they were due to marry.
He has blogged for Störungsmelder, an anti-racism site that encourages debate about xenophobia and racism in Germany.