Simon Rolfes

Lore & Background

Rolfes started his career at Werder Bremen after progressing through their academy. He played for the reserve team, scoring 19 goals in 100 league appearances and one goal in four DFB-Pokal appearances. He was loaned to SSV Reutlingen, then moved to Alemannia Aachen in 2004. In 2005, he joined Bayer Leverkusen, where he became a fan favorite and captain. He retired after the 2014–15 season.

In Their Own Story

The rain hammered against the roof of the Veltins-Arena, turning the pitch into a slick, green mirror under the floodlights. It was late in the second half, the score tied, and the crowd's roar was a physical weight on Simon Rolfes' shoulders. He wiped sweat from his brow, his lungs burning after eighty minutes of relentless running. A loose ball bounced near the halfway line; while others hesitated, Rolfes surged forward. With a simple, instinctive turn, he shielded the ball, looked up, and spotted the run. The pass was threaded perfectly through the defense, a moment of calm in the chaos. As the goal erupted behind him, the roar of 60,000 fans seemed to sing his name. He didn't celebrate wildly; he simply pointed to the badge on his chest, knowing this was why he wore Royal Blue.

Reader's Guide

Rolfes made his international debut for Germany on 28 March 2007. He was part of the German team that finished as runners-up at Euro 2008, starting in the quarter-finals and semi-finals. He scored his first international goal on 6 September 2008 against Liechtenstein. He missed the 2010 FIFA World Cup due to injury.

Did You Know?

• Rolfes scored five goals in 26 league appearances for Werder Bremen's reserve team during the 2000–01 season.
• He made a UEFA Cup appearance for Werder Bremen's first team on 3 October 2002 against Metalurh Donetsk.
• Rolfes married his wife Jenny on 12 June 2009 and they have three daughters.