First Team

Roots in the 1930s

A look back at VfL's history with the German national team ahead of the side's 1,000th match.

Der ehemalige VfL-Wolfsburg-Spieler Tobias Rau im Trikot der deutschen Nationalmannschaft.

There will be no VfL Wolfsburg involvement when Germany kick-off their milestone 1,000th game on Monday evening (18:00 CEST) – unlike previous squads that have had a Green-and-White presence – but it is still worth taking a trip down memory lane ahead of the milestone occasion.

How have VfL players impacted Germany's international history since the nation's first game in 1908? Upon closer inspection, more than you might think…

  • Felix Nmecha who is currently injured, became the 19th Wolfsburg player to represent Germany at senior level when he was called up earlier this year. The first was Zoltan Sebescen in 2000.
     
  • Just like that aforementioned pair, nine other players have made their Germany debuts while on the Wolves' books: Lukas Nmecha, Ridle Baku, Yannick Gerhardt, Maximilian Arnold, Sascha Riether, Christian Gentner, Marcel Schäfer, Alexander Madlung and Tobias Rau.
Diese Spieler des VfL Wolfsburg haben Länderspiele für Deutschland bestritten.
  • Rau was the first Green-and-White to score for Germany when he found the target in a 4-1 friendly win over Canada on 1 June 2003 in a match that just happened to take place at the Volkswagen Arena.
     
  • Since then, two further senior Germany men's team matches have been held in Wolfsburg: a friendly against Serbia in March 2019 and a FIFA World Cup qualifier against Liechtenstein in November 2021. Fixture number four will take place at the Volkswagen Arena on 9 September.
     
  • A further eight players have joined the Wolves as Germany internationals: Thomas Brdaric, Mike Hanke, Andre Schürrle, Max Kruse, Christian Träsch, Julian Draxler, Arne Friedrich and Mario Gomez.
Aufzählung der Nationalspieler, die auch beim VfL Wolfsburg gespielt haben.
  • VfL's earliest roots with the national team can be traced back to 28 September 1930, when Germany beat Hungary 5-3. Ludwig Lachner, who earned one of his eight caps in that game, helped the Wolves earn promotion to the top flight 24 years later as coach.