He experienced his biggest sporting success with FC Köln winning the German league title in 1962 and 1964. He earned 15 international caps for Germany and played in the 1962 World Cup in Chile. Leo Wilden also made his mark on Leverkusen.
Wilden joined the Werkself in 1966 and was one of the key players in the team under coach Theo Kirchberg in his second season at Leverkusen when they comfortably won the Regional League West title and thereby qualified for the Bundesliga play-offs. The Bayer team just missed out on making it into Germany's top flight when they finished second behind Kickers Offenbach. "We sensed promotion and were hungry for it," said Leo Wilden back then after a season that inspired euphoria in football fans in Leverkusen.
The defender hung up his boots at the age of 33 but continued to work for Bayer 04. In 1971, Wilden was the deputy to the football chairman Dr. Jürgen Schwericke and he worked in that role under the Bayer Cross up to 1973.
A profile of Leo Wilden, that appeared in July of last year marking his 85th birthday, is HERE.
Video games manufacturer Electronic Arts (EA), together with the Deutsche Fußball Liga (DFL), has announced the six nominees for the February 2026 Bundesliga Player of the Month award. Not one, but two Werkself players are on the list in Edmond Tapsoba and Alejandro Grimaldo. Supporters of the Black-and-Reds have from now until midnight on Sunday 8 March to vote!
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The German Football League (DFL) has announced the three candidates for Bundesliga ‘Rookie of the Month’ for February. Among the candidates is Werkself player Jarell Quansah. Fans of Bayer 04 can vote for their favourite on the Bundesliga app from now until Thursday, 5 March (23:59 CET).
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Bayer 04 have once again significantly stepped up measures against the unauthorised resale of tickets and, as a result, reallocated a certain number of season tickets to fans on the waiting list. In doing so, the club wants to send a clear message: Tickets belong in the hands of those who have purchased these tickets legitimately and obtained them via official Bayer 04 channels and who support the Werkself. At the same time, the tickets should be available at the regular fixed prices.
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Bayer 04 will have to manage without Brazilian player Arthur for the next few weeks. The full-back tore a ligament in his left ankle in yesterday's Bundesliga match against Mainz 05 (1-1).
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