Bayer 04 have brought through the next Germany international in Florian Wirtz. The 5 feet 9 midfielder recently made his debut for Germany under new coach Hansi Flick who was appointed in August.
His predecessor Joachim Löw was the Germany coach for 15 years – and he used to regularly include Black and Reds in his line-ups. During the Löw era, a total of 17 Werkself players wore the Germany shirt – including members of the current Bayer 04 squad such as Jonathan Tah, Karim Bellarabi and Nadiem Amiri as well as former players like honorary captain Lars Bender, Toni Kroos and Gonzalo Castro.
Wirtz is the 34th Leverkusen player to make his debut for Germany. The history of Bayer 04 and the German national side goes back to the 1980s.
The first Bayer 04 player to appear for the senior Germany team was Herbert Waas. The centre-forward wore the Leverkusen shirt for eight years – between 1982 and 1990. The first full international came in June 1983 under the then Germany coach Jupp Derwall.
Franz Beckenbauer, Berti Vogts, Erich Ribbeck and Rudi Völler also selected Werkself players regularly over the course of the following years. Here is the list of Germany debutants who were at Bayer 04 when they played their first full international:
2021: Florian Wirtz
2019: Nadiem Amiri
2018: Kai Havertz, Bernd Leno, Jonathan Tah, Julian Brandt
2016: Benjamin Henrichs
2014: Karim Bellarabi, Sidney Sam
2013: Philipp Wollscheid
2011: Lars Bender
2010: Toni Kroos, Stefan Reinartz
2008: René Adler
2007: Stefan Kießling, Gonzalo Castro, Simon Rolfes
2006: Manuel Friedrich
2003: Hanno Balitsch
2002: Thomas Brdaric
1999: Bernd Schneider
1998: Carsten Ramelow
1998: Paulo Rink, Stefan Beinlich
1997: Jens Nowotny
1992: Ulf Kirsten, Heiko Scholz, Christian Wörns
1990: Andreas Thom
1989: Alois Reinhardt
1988: Knut Reinhardt
1986: Thomas Hörster
1984: Christian Schreier
1983: Herbert Waas
A fresh look for the BayArena: The Bayer 04 stadium will have new seating in the form of folding seats for the 2026/27 campaign that will ensure significantly improved seating comfort and simplified movement within the rows of seats. As part of routine replacement after 17 years, fans of the Werkself were able to purchase the existing seats, used to witness the first German league title in the club's history. In addition, a large proportion of the seats will be donated to charitable projects, primarily in the local region. Bayer 04 fans can look forward to new, functional folding seats for the season opener at the beginning of August - still in the club colours of black and red, of course. A glimpse at the BayArena during the refurbishment.
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On Monday evening, 8 June, around 250 people came to the Bürgerhaus Baumberg at the invitation of Bayer 04 to find out details of the new plans for the campus on Alfred-Nobel-Straße at an information event. More compact, greener and with many advantages for Monheim am Rhein - those are the aims. There were lively discussions for around three hours and some misunderstandings were cleared up.
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Werkself player Montrell Culbreath and Bayer 04 loanee Francis Onyeka are part of Germany's final squad for the U19 European Championships this summer. The tournament is in Wales from 24 June to 12 July.
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When Malik Tillman arrived at Bayer 04 Leverkusen from PSV Eindhoven last summer, he did more than just add attacking midfield strength to the team — he reconnected the club with a unique and understated American lineage that stretches back more than three decades.
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Bayer 04 are away to third-division club SV Wehen Wiesbaden in the first round of the 2026/27 DFB Pokal. That was the outcome of the draw on Saturday night, 6 June, at the German Football Museum in Dortmund. The Werkself first round tie will be played between 21 and 24 August. The exact date has yet to be finalised.
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