Who are the Bundesliga captains for the 2025/26 season?
Who are the players leading their teams into the 2025/26 Bundesliga season? We've got the lowdown on the chosen skippers in Germany's top division...
We are just days away from the new season getting underway, and with that in mind, bundesliga.com runs you through all the captains for the 2025-26 campaign ...
Despite a 2024/25 season where he suffered injury setbacks, Neuer still played an important role in bringing the Meisterschale back to Bavaria. Ahead of the 2025-26 campaign, the 39-year-old looks set to be Bayern's leader and Vincent Kompany's number one. Neuer's leadership will be all the more important now after Thomas Müller's emotional exit, the Raumdeuter joining up with MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps.
Watch: Manuel Neuer's top 5 saves
Bayer Leverkusen: Robert Andrich
This summer, Leverkusen bid farewell to legendary shot-stoppper and leader Lukáš Hrádecký, who departed the BayArena for Monaco. After four years as the Werkself captain and an iconic unbeaten domestic double under his belt, the Finland international's exit left new boss Erik ten Hag needing a new team leader. The Dutchman has moved quickly to hand the captaincy to Andrich.
Eintracht Frankfurt: Robin Koch
There has been a change of armbands on the eve of the new campaign, with Kevin Trapp replaced by Koch as Die Adler's leader. The Germany international has been promoted from his role as vice-captain, which he shared with Mario Götze last season. Having finished third last term and Champions League football now on the horizon this time around, coach Dino Toppmöller will be hoping Koch can lead Frankfurt to even greater heights in 2025/26.
Watch: Robin Koch keen on a trophy
Currently sidelined from action due to injury, Can will look forward to a return to the field as soon as he prepares to lead Dortmund into the 2025-26 season under Niko Kovač. The BVB boss confirmed that the former Bayern, Leverkusen, Juventus and Liverpool midfielder will retain club captaincy ahead of the new season, with Julian Brandt acting as vice-captain in support.
After closing the chapter on their Christian Streich era, Freiburg perhaps surprised many with their fifth place finish last season under new coach Julian Schuster. The 40-year-old chose to retain Günter as club captain and that still remains the case ahead of the 2025-26 season. The 32-year-old has been a pillar of consistency for Die Breisgauer since making his first-team debut in 2012, and more than 350 Bundesliga appearances later, shows no signs of slowing down.
The Swiss defender has been Mainz's captain since 2022-23 and will retain skipper duties heading into Bo Henriksen's second full season. The 05ers enjoyed a terrific 2024-25 campaign, finishing sixth and gaining entry to the play-offs for the UEFA Europa Conference League in 2025-26. Widmer's leadership qualities will be key in what will undoubtedly be a long season for Mainz, with European action as well as domestic duties to savour.
Leipzig are not only preparing for the 2025-26 season with a new coach in Ole Werner, but also a new capatain in Raum. "David Raum will be our captain against Sandhausen [in the DFB Cup first-round] and for the remainder of the season. We chose David because we believe that he embodies everything we want to see from the team: hunger, potential for further development and aggressiveness... we chose David because we believe he is predestined for this role."
Watch: Raum's best goals and assists
Austria international Friedl has worn the Bremen armband since 2022 and will now enter his fourth season as captain under new coach Horst Steffen. The 27-year-old signed a long-term extension with the club after he bounced back from a spell on the sidelines with strong performances to keep Die Grün-Weißen away from the relegation battle.
Affectionately known as Ata around the MHPArena in Stuttgart, Karazor was appointed club captain in the summer of 2024 following the departure of Waldemar Anton and has done exceptionally well since. In what was an often turbulent 2024-25 Bundesliga season for the Swabians, Karazor was a figure of consistency on the pitch for his performances and leadership. He will look forward to helping his team achieve more trophy success like that famous DFB Cup feat last time out.
Jonas Omlin was appointed Gladbach captain following the departure of club icon Lars Stindl in the summer of 2023, but the Swiss international's status changed ahead of the 2025-26 season. Foals' head coach Gerardo Seoane confirmed Moritz Nicolas will begin the new campaign as first-choice goalkeeper, with Germany international striker Kleindienst taking the captain's armband. Rocco Reitz will serve as vice-captain.
Since becoming club captain in 2022, Arnold has been a figure of consistency in the heart of Wolfsburg's midfield. With the Wolves heading into a new chapter under Paul Simonis as the recently-appointed coach, Arnold's leadership qualities and composure in the middle of the park will be key to the transition on the pitch and off of it as well.
Watch: All Maximilian Arnold's free-kick goals
Heading into his tenth season with Die Fuggerstädter, Gouweleeuw is set to continue as club captain under new coach Sandro Wagner. The Dutch defender has made 258 appearances for Augsburg across nine years since joining from Dutch outfit AZ Alkmaar in 2016. He will be joined by Phillip Tietz, Kristijan Jakić and shot-stopper Finn Dahmen as vice-captains for the 2025-26 season.
Watch: Augsburg welcome Sandro Wagner
Union Berlin: Christopher Trimmel
With the 2025-26 just around the corner for Die Eisernen, coach Steffen Baumgart has confirmed that Trimmel will continue as captain. "Trimmel remains captain because he embodies this club more than anyone else," Baumgart told BILD. The legendary Austrian has played over 11 years for the Berlin club and will be supported by vice-captains Rani Khedira, Danilho Doekhi and Frederik Rønnow for the new season.
Watch: Relive the crazy 4-4 draw between Union Berlin and Stuttgart in 2024-25
With over 100 appearances for Die Kiezkicker across Bundesliga 2 and the Bundesliga to date, Irvine is set to continue as Pauli captain heading into the 2025-26 campaign. With the Australian midfielder still working his way towards full fitness in pre-season, he will no doubt be looking forward to the derby against cross city rivals Hamburg, for the first time in the top-flight.
Watch: Who is Jackson Irvine?
Having extended his contract with the Kraichgau club recently, goalkeeper Baumann is set to continue as Hoffenheim captain for the 2025-26 season. The record appearance maker for the club became their captain in 2022 and will lead the team in new head coach Christian Ilzer's first full season.
Watch: The best of Oliver Baumann
Playing back-to-back Bundesliga seasons in 2023-24 and 2024-25 without missing a single minute, it is no surprise that Mainka will continue as club captain at the Voith Arena. That means that the former BVB youth academy player will head into his fifth season as Heidenheim's leader under head coach Frank Schmidt.
Watch: Heidenheim - from the sixth tier to Europe
Cologne are back in the Bundesliga for the 2025/26 season, not only with a new head coach in Lukas Kwasniok, but also a freshly apppointed captain. Marvin Schwäbe is the man chosen for the job, the Billy Goats' No.1 goalkeeper replacing promotion-winning skipper Timo Hübers in the role. The 30-year-old has been at the club since summer 2021, making over 125 competitive appearances.
Watch: The best of Cologne in 2024/25
Summer signing Yussuf Poulsen was confirmed as captain on the eve of Hamburg's first season back in the Bundesliga since their maiden relegaton at the end of 2017/18. The veteran forward, who made a club record 425 appearances for former club Leipzig, replaces Sebastian Schonlau - now of Vancouver Whitecaps - in the role. Midfielders Jonas Meffert and Nicolas Capaldo have been appointed vice-captains.
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