Patrik Schick was Leverkusen's top scorer in the last 12 months with 23 goals, as well as contesting the most duels of any Werkself player (213). He was previously shortlisted for the 2024 Team of the Year. In May he was selected for the 2024/25 Bundesliga Team of the Season.
Alejandro Grimaldo, who was also included in the Team of the Season in May, was the only Bundesliga player to make it into the 2024 Team of the Year. He also finished 2025 with strong performances: he was the Werkself's top provider with nine assists and the second-highest goalscorer after Schick (10 goals).
Meanwhile, Vanessa Fudalla becomes the second Bayer 04 Women player after Kristin Kögel last year to ever be nominated for the Women's Team of the Year, which is only being awarded for the third time. Fudalla, who only moved to Leverkusen from RB Leipzig in the summer, topped the scoring chart for the team in 2025 with nine goals.
The large pool of nominees from across the world will eventually be whittled down to a Men's and Women's Team of the Year. Both line-ups will comprise one goalkeeper, four defenders, three midfielders and three forwards. As usual, a 12th TOTY card will also be selected in both and EA Sports will give other players TOTY cards as 'Honourable Mentions'.
Voting is open until Monday 12 January at 18:59 CET. The final TOTY teams will be officially revealed on 15 January at 19:00 CET and will also be available in EA Sports FC 26 from 19:00 CET on 16 January.
The Black and Reds kick off the new Bundesliga campaign today, Saturday 29 August (kick-off 15:30 CEST), away to newly promoted SV 07 Elversberg – and the Werkself will come up against a familiar face who is currently causing a stir at ‘Elv’. For an affordable and easy journey to the Saarland, the 1,600 travelling fans can still use the WERKSELFgo car-share platform. Today’s matchday news..
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The European jersey has been launched, the UEL opponents have been drawn – and anticipation for the European campaign is running high. To mark the occasion, an autograph session was held on Friday afternoon, 28 August, at the Fanwelt with current Werkself player Montrell Culbreath and official club legend Paulo Sergio.
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The Bundesliga is back. On Saturday 29 August (kick-off: 15:30 CEST), the Werkself are away to SV 07 Elversberg on matchday 1 of the new season. Ahead of the clash at the URSAPHARM Arena on Kaiserlinde, head coach Carles Martínez spoke, amongst other things, about the importance of a successful start and the motivation of the league newcomers from the Saarland.
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On Friday afternoon, it will be decided which eight of the 36 participating teams Bayer 04 will face in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League in 2026/27. At the draw in Monaco (live on UEFA.com), the Werkself will be drawn against two teams from each of the four pots, allocated according to the UEFA club coefficient. A match against an opponent from the same country is ruled out, as is facing more than two clubs from the same national association. Here’s a look at the pots and potential opponents.
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