Merino Gonzalez, who signed her first professional contract in January 2023, has been with the Werkself since 2017 and U13 level. She was top scorer as Bayer 04 won the U17 Bundesliga in 2022/23 and has since made 49 senior appearances (two goals). The 18-year-old forward has started four out of six Bundesliga games this season as a full-back.
The fact that one of our own, who’s come through all our youth teams, has won this award is nice proof of our youth work and great acknowledgement for everyone who’s been involved in this development,” said Bayer 04 Women’s sporting director Achim Feifel. “At the same time, it’s also an incentive to us to further professionalise our youth section so we can continue to grow players like her in the future.”
The U19s golden medal went to Alara Sehitler of Bayern Munich, with bronze to Meppen’s Thea Farwick. Merino Gonzalez’s teammate Loreen Bender and Francis Onyeka of the men’s team, who is currently on loan at Bochum, had both won gold in the U19s and U17s categories respectively last year.
Leverkusen’s Fritz Walter Medal winners:
2025: Estrella Merino Gonzalez (U19/silver)
2024: Francis Onyeka (U17/gold), Loreen Bender (U19/gold)
2022: Florian Wirtz (U19/gold), Lisanne Gräwe (U19/gold), Clara Fröhlich (U17/gold)
2020: Florian Wirtz (U17/gold)
2018: Kai Havertz (U19/gold)
2016: Benjamin Henrichs (U19/gold), Kai Havertz (U17/silver), Nina Ehegötz (gold)
2015: Jonathan Tah (U19/gold)
2014: Julian Brandt (U18/gold); Levin Öztunali (U18/silver)
2013: Dominik Kohr (U19/bronze)
2012: Dominik Kohr (U18/bronze)
2011: Johanna Elsig (gold)
2010: Kolja Pusch (U17/bronze)
2008: Marcel Risse (U19/bronze); Richard Sukuta-Pasu (U18/bronze)
2007: Stefan Reinartz (U18/bronze); Nils Teixeira (U17/bronze)
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have extended Abdoulaye Faye’s contract by a further year to 30 June 2031. During the 2026/27 season, the talented defender will play for Celta Vigo on loan without an option to buy. The 21-year-old Senegalese is set to feature in La Liga and the UEFA Europa League with last season’s sixth-placed side in Spain.
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The Werkself's training camp in Weimarer Land all in one place: in our daily blog you'll find all the insights and updates from the day. The programme on day one (Sunday 2 August) includes a media round with managing director sport Simon Rolfes, free time for the team after the friendly against Rot-Weiss Essen and before an intensive week of training begins, as well as a coffee get-together where CEO Fernando Carro and Rolfes met around 100 fans in the afternoon.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have agreed Kerim Alajbegovic’s transfer to Italian record champions Juventus. The club brought the 18-year-old attacking player back to Leverkusen this summer via a buy-back option, following a season at Red Bull Salzburg. Until his move to Austria, the Bosnia international had been playing for Bayer 04’s Under-19s.
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A warm welcome to the Weimarer Land, Bayer 04! The Werkself moved into their accommodation for this year’s training camp on Saturday evening. In Blankenhain, Thuringia, head coach Carles Martínez’s team have a programme of gruelling training sessions – several of which will be open to fans – and team-building activities lined up for the next six days. We’ll be following the Werkself up close and providing you with exclusive insights, quotes, photos and videos from the training camp.
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With 22 days to go until the start of the Bundesliga campaign, the Bayer 04 Women’s team have gained a fresh boost of confidence. In a friendly against Belgian top-flight side KRC Genk on Saturday afternoon, coach Roberto Pätzold’s team secured a 1–0 win. Lobke Loonen (20’) scored the winner for the Black and Reds at the Kurtekotten training centre.
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