Heidenheim defender Patrick Mainka equals 60-year Bundesliga record
Patrick Mainka made his 100th Bundesliga appearance as Heidenheim faced Bayern Munich on Matchday 32 — a significant milestone, but remarkable for another reason entirely.
In the 3-3 draw in Munich on Matchday 32, Mainka became only the fourth player to feature in every one of a club’s first 100 Bundesliga matches.
The last time such a run was achieved in the German top flight was almost 60 years ago, when World Cup winner Berti Vogts became the first player to do so for Borussia Mönchengladbach back in 1968.
Watch: Bayern Munich 3-3 Heidenheim
What makes Mainka's achievement even more impressive is the fact that he has played the full 90 minutes in each one. The centre-back hasn't been substituted in or out, nor has he missed a single second of a game through injury or suspension.
"Health is the most important thing for all of us, you have to say," Mainka told Sky prior to kick-off in Munich when asked about his record. "And that's the greatest stroke of luck I've had, that I've been consistently healthy and ready to play."
For Mainka, it was very nearly a fairytale milestone against Bayern. Heidenheim raced into a 2-0 lead at the Allianz Arena, thanks to goals from Budu Zivzivadze and Eren Dinkçi.
The visitors were quickly pegged back by a Leon Goretzka brace, only for Zivzivade to restore Heidenheim's lead in the 76th minute. However, Frank Schmidt's men suffered heartbreak after a late Bayern equaliser denied them a valuable three points in the fight for Bundesliga survival.
Besides his fitness, the Heidenheim captain possesses other qualities that are almost second to none. He plays with a remarkable sense of fairness, committing an average of only one foul every 349 minutes and having received only one yellow card after 32 matchdays this season.
