1.08.2024Bayer 04

Birthday boy of the month IV: Frank Hejduk will be 50

Frank ‘Frankie’ Hejduk was born on 5 August 1974 in California in the small town of La Mesa in San Diego County. Frankie went to the San Dieguito High School where he played in the football team. He was also a member of the successful La Jolla Nomads Soccer Club that won the Californian youth championship in 1989, 1990 and 1991. After high school, Hejduk went to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He played to the UCLA Bruins for three seasons between 1992 and 1994. As a defender, he was the second top goalscorer in 1994 with six goals.

Display videos

Yes, I'd like to see videos dispalyed.

In February 1996, ahead of the start of the first American professional league, the Major League Soccer (MLS), Frankie was signed by Tampa Bay Mutiny. He established himself as a regular first choice there. His good performances during the football tournament at the Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996 brought him to the attention of clubs in Europe. One of those clubs was Bayer 04 Leverkusen. At the 1990 World Cup in France, Frankie Hejduk stood out in the first group match for the US Boys against Germany and shortly after that signs for Leverkusen.

There he became a regular starter at the end of the 1998/99 season as Bayer had a lot of injuries at that time. He made ten starts in the last eleven games and helped ensure Leverkusen a place in the Champions League. During that time he scored his only goal for our team.

He only made sporadic appearances in the Bundesliga in the following season. However, he did stand out with good performances in the Champions League. Frankie played a total of 28 games for Bayer 04 up to 2002. He won 85 caps for the USA between 1996 and 2009 and scored seven goals along the way. He also played for the USA Olympic team at the 2000 Olympic Games.

When he was at Bayer 04, Frankie liked to travel to the Dutch coast when he had the time. He is an enthusiastic surfer and was once National Junior High School surfing champion.

In August 2002, after not playing in the successful 2001/02 season for Bayer 04, Frankie went out on loan to FC St Gallen in Switzerland. He only played a few games there so he returned to the USA in 2003 to play for Columbus Crew in the MLS.

Frankie played up to 2011 finishing up at Los Angeles Galaxy. He ended his playing career in 2012 and returned to Columbus Crew. There he was a brand ambassador for the club and is still working with the club today.

With his wife Elissa he has three sons and one daughter.

Dear Frankie, many happy returns on your 50th and stay fit and healthy!

Related News

Bayer 04 - 01.08.2025

History: 75 years ago – The 1950/51 season (August)

Bayer 04 started the new season on 20 July 1950. To the applause from almost 2,000 spectators, the Werkself stepped onto the pitch at the Am Stadtpark stadium and the season target was clear to the supporters: finally achieve promotion to the Oberliga West. Under the direction of new coach Raymond Schwab, who brought one of his Essen players with him in the shape of Karl-Heinz Spikofski, the team did a couple of laps. Coach Schwab gave a speech in front of all the fans where he clearly imparted his request for calm in the stands and he said he hated nothing more than heckling or laughing when mistakes are made. He hoped the Bayer 04 supporters would follow his advice.

Horst Knauf wird 65 | Geburtstagskind des Monats August

Bayer 04 - 01.08.2025

Birthday boy of the month I: Horst Knauf turns 65

Horst Knauf was born in Cologne on 16 August 1960. As a teenager he played for PSV Köln before signing for the Bayer 04 Leverkusen U19s as a talented midfielder in 1976. He made the move up from the second team to the Bundesliga squad in 1980. Over the following three years he played 39 Bundesliga games and scored two goals. Above all in the difficult 1981/82 season for the Werkself with the play-off games against Kickers Offenbach, he played a big part in saving Bayer 04 with 21 appearances. But under the new coach Dettmar Cramer he rarely made a start and he decided to move on.

Bayer 04 - 01.08.2025

Birthday boy of the month II: Holger Aden turns 60

Holger Aden was born in Hamburg on 25 August 1965. He learned all about playing football and, above all, scoring goals at the two Hamburg clubs Niendorfer TSV and TSV DuWo 08 Hamburg. After progression from the youth teams, he played for other Hamburg clubs. One after the other he appeared for Concordia Hamburg, Altona 93 and SC Norderstedt. The centre-forward regularly found the back of the opposition net. He scored 22 goals for SC Norderstedt in the 1988/89 season.

Michael Ballack, der Capitano | Legende des Monats August

Bayer 04 - 01.08.2025

Legends: Michael Ballack, the Capitano

Michael Ballack was born in Görlitz in the GDR on 26 September 1976. He displayed his talent for football at a young age. After his family moved to Karl-Marx-Stadt, now called Chemnitz, he started playing for BSG Motor ‘Fritz Heckert’ Karl-Marx-Stadt where he constantly continued to develop his ability on the pitch. From year seven he went to the children and youth sports college and there he received systematic support in sport that led, against the background of his increasing ability, to a move to FC Karl-Marx-Stadt. At the age of 16, he had to take a six-month break due to growing pains, but then there was no stopping Michael after that.

Von Kießling bis Ökland | Tore des Monats August

Bayer 04 - 01.08.2025

Goals of the month: From Kießling to Ökland

In this video you can watch impressive and important goals in the history of Bayer 04 in the month of August. It is not always about the beauty of the goals but also about remembering special games and players.