Firsts, premieres and debuts – even Germany internationals and World Champions started small. How? Where? When Why? Their first coach, their first position, their first goal, their first title – every day over the next week or so, a DFB-Team player will name their top ten personal firsts here on DFB.de. Today it's Schalke captain Benedikt Höwedes.
My first kit: I got it as a child but I can’t remember how old I was. It was a Rivaldo Barcelona shirt that I really loved.
My first role model: As I used to be a striker, I thought forwards like Mehmet Scholl and Giovane Élber were pretty good because they always scored great goals. I always liked their goal celebrations as a child too.
My first club: TuS Haltern. I played there for a good six years. Interestingly, other professional footballers also started their careers there, such as Christoph Metzelder or Sergio Pinto.
My first coach: It was a duo – Michael Pelster and André Lojack. The former was one my friend’s dad. I got a good start to football thanks to the pair of them.
My first position: I actually used to be a striker. It was only when I moved to Schalke’s youth department that I began to play in defence. They had a vacant space in the defence in my age group and saw potential in me to fill it. It turned out to be a good position and I was able to achieve my dream of becoming a professional footballer.
My first title: My first major title was the German Championship with the Schalke A youth team. That was huge at the time. I still know some of the lads back then very well today, such as my teammates Ralf Fährmann and Mesut Özil.
My first trip to a stadium: At Parkstadion, as a Schalke fan of course, against Fortuna Düsseldorf. I cheered the team of from the Nordkurve.
My first professional game: A Champions League game! It was against Rosenborg in 2007. We won 2-0 and I started the game on the left-hand side of defence as Christian Pander was injured at the time. That wasn’t my real position but the game was really important for me nonetheless and a special experience. I hadn’t played in the Bundesliga prior to that.
My first professional goal: That was in an away game against HSV. I came on at the break and scored a goal to make it 1-1 a minute later. It was a good feeling as you don’t bag that many as a defender.
My first international: No one forgets that. It was against Uruguay in Sinsheim in late May 2011. I came on for Phillip Lahm in the second half.
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Firsts, premieres and debuts – even Germany internationals and World Champions started small. How? Where? When Why? Their first coach, their first position, their first goal, their first title – every day over the next week or so, a DFB-Team player will name their top ten personal firsts here on DFB.de. Today it's Schalke captain Benedikt Höwedes.
My first kit: I got it as a child but I can’t remember how old I was. It was a Rivaldo Barcelona shirt that I really loved.
My first role model: As I used to be a striker, I thought forwards like Mehmet Scholl and Giovane Élber were pretty good because they always scored great goals. I always liked their goal celebrations as a child too.
My first club: TuS Haltern. I played there for a good six years. Interestingly, other professional footballers also started their careers there, such as Christoph Metzelder or Sergio Pinto.
My first coach: It was a duo – Michael Pelster and André Lojack. The former was one my friend’s dad. I got a good start to football thanks to the pair of them.
My first position: I actually used to be a striker. It was only when I moved to Schalke’s youth department that I began to play in defence. They had a vacant space in the defence in my age group and saw potential in me to fill it. It turned out to be a good position and I was able to achieve my dream of becoming a professional footballer.
My first title: My first major title was the German Championship with the Schalke A youth team. That was huge at the time. I still know some of the lads back then very well today, such as my teammates Ralf Fährmann and Mesut Özil.
My first trip to a stadium: At Parkstadion, as a Schalke fan of course, against Fortuna Düsseldorf. I cheered the team of from the Nordkurve.
My first professional game: A Champions League game! It was against Rosenborg in 2007. We won 2-0 and I started the game on the left-hand side of defence as Christian Pander was injured at the time. That wasn’t my real position but the game was really important for me nonetheless and a special experience. I hadn’t played in the Bundesliga prior to that.
My first professional goal: That was in an away game against HSV. I came on at the break and scored a goal to make it 1-1 a minute later. It was a good feeling as you don’t bag that many as a defender.
My first international: No one forgets that. It was against Uruguay in Sinsheim in late May 2011. I came on for Phillip Lahm in the second half.
