The 16-year-old goalkeeper Roy Steur leaves the prestigious youth section at Ajax after six years and is now part of the Bayer 04 U19 squad. The two 15-year-old offensive players Jordan Zirkzee, brother of the FC Bayern striker Joshua Zirkzee, and Abdul Sesay will be on the hunt for goals with the Leverkusen U17s. Steur and Sesay have already made a number of international appearances for the Netherlands at youth level, Zirkzee has also attended several sessions organised by the Netherlands youth teams. His first youth international appearances fell victim to the coronavirus pandemic and the associated cancellation of matches.
"We are happy to have brought in such ambitious and talented youth players," said Thomas Eichin, head of the Performance Centre at Bayer 04. Bernd Korzynietz, head of youth scouting, talks about three players, "where we have not only succeeded in bringing in a wealth of talent. They also give us a boost on a personal level. Bayer 04 Leverkusen not only has a great reputation within Germany but also abroad as the signatures of these players demonstrate."
Bayer 04 turned in a dominant performance in a 7-0 win against fifth-tier side Sportfreunde Baumberg in their first friendly ahead of the 2026/27 season. A brace from debutant Afonso Moreira (19', 27') either side of a Christian Kofane strike (23') put the Werkself 3-0 up in the first of the two 35-minute halves in Monheim am Rhein. After the break, Victor Boniface (49', 53'), Robert Andrich (56') and Nathan Tella (67') scored for the completely changed Leverkusen team. It was therefore a successful friendly debut for new head coach Carles Martínez and his team, although the hosts also had something to celebrate despite the defeat: the match marked the inauguration of Baumberg's new ground, the MEGA Stadion.
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Attention, Werkself fans: the new Away Matchday Collection is now available from the Bayer 04 online shop and the Fanwelt. It includes t-shirts, zip tops and jackets.
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Season tickets for the Werkself home matches in the new Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga season are now on general sale. The season ticket is valid for all 13 matches at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium. The first home match will be played between 28 and 31 August against the runners-up, VfL Wolfsburg, followed by the clash with the German champions, Bayern Munich, between 11 and 14 September.
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A new team, a new environment, a new challenge—and yet one thing remains the same for Afonso Moreira: his attitude. Total dedication, discipline, and the drive to improve every day have defined the Portuguese player since his early days at Sporting CP. “Even back then, I realized I had to work hard to achieve my goals,” said the 21-year-old. His parents also instilled those values in him from a young age. Values that have driven him ever since, accompanied him to France when he signed for Lyon, and now also form the foundation for his new chapter at Bayer 04. At a media session, the lightning-fast winger spoke about his values, as well as his new teammates, the new coach, and his targets at the club.
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