Kennet Eichhorn: Who is Bayer Leverkusen’s Germany youth international midfielder?
A Hertha Berlin regular at just 16 years of age, new Bayer Leverkusen signing Kennet Eichhorn is already being tipped for a career at the very top of the game. We take a closer look at the Germany youth international...
Data correct as of 10 June 2026
Age: 16 (Born 27 July 2009)
Club: Bayer Leverkusen
Position: Defensive midfielder
Country: Germany (Four U17 caps, two goals)
Key stats
Hertha’s goalless draw with Karlsruhe on 10 August 2025 was not a game that will live long in the memory – unless perhaps you are Kennet Eichhorn.
Midway through the second half of the Matchday 2 encounter, and with nearly 60,000 spectators watching on at Berlin’s Olympiastadion, the teenager replaced Leon Jensen to become Bundesliga 2’s youngest-ever debutant – aged just 16 years and 14 days.
Former Borussia Dortmund prodigy Youssoufa Moukoko, who was handed his Bundesliga bow a day after his 16th birthday, is the only player in the history of Germany’s top two divisions to make his debut at a younger age.
Not even Moukouko, though, was able to establish himself in the first team as quickly as Eichhorn, who first joined Hertha as an Under-9 player in 2017 and signed his first professional contract with the Alte Dame in summer 2025.
A little over a month after his maiden league appearance, the holding midfielder became the youngest player ever to start a Bundesliga 2 match when he was named in Stefan Leitl’s team to face Hannover on Matchday 5.
Orchestrating play with a maturity that defied his tender years, Eichhorn completed 86 percent of his passes, lost possession only once and won 55 percent of his challenges at the Heinz von Heiden Arena before departing in the 89th minute to a rapturous ovation from the visiting fans.
“Sixteen years old, playing in front of 50,000 fans against a top side – for me, he was by far the best player on the pitch,” gushed Hertha boss Leitl after watching his side cruise to a 3-0 win.
Watch: The best of Kennet Eichhorn
Since that victory, Eichhorn has started all but one of the league games he has featured in. Although injury limited his availability for much of the second half of the season, the youngster continued to set records when he did play.
Back in December, he scored his first-ever goal in Hertha's 6-1 thrashing of Kaiserslautern in the DFB Cup round of 16 to become the competition’s and Hertha’s youngest-ever scorer at just 16 years and 128 days.
Eichhorn then completed his stunning debut season by scoring in Hertha's 2-1 Matchday 33 win against Greuther Fürth to become Bundesliga 2’s youngest goalscorer, aged 16 years and 287 days.
On 10 June 2026, he signed a long-term deal with Bundesliga side Leverkusen.
Watch: Hertha Berlin 2-1 Greuther Fürth
The teenager is quickly making a name for himself on the international stage too, captaining Germany Under-17s in all four of his appearances to date and scoring twice in a 4-0 European Under-17 Championship qualifying victory over Luxembourg.
Had it not been for his club commitments, he would almost certainly have skippered the side at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar during November and December.
Not that Eichhorn will be too disappointed at missing the tournament. “I’ve been with Hertha since the U9s and have always been happy here,” he said after signing professional terms in July 2025. “It’s incredibly important to me that my development never stops, in any aspect. That’s why I see Hertha as the best place for me.”
Plays a bit like: Toni Kroos
Given Eichhorn’s elegance and composure on the ball, it should come as no surprise that he has been mentioned in the same breath as Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Germany legend Toni Kroos.
Those comparisons have not gone unnoticed by the World Cup 2014 winner’s brother, former Werder Bremen and Union Berlin midfielder Felix Kroos
“The way he plays is remarkable,” Kroos told Watson in October, adding: “He radiates calm. [Hertha] should be a role model for other German clubs - to give more young talents opportunities to play.”
Did you know?
Eichhorn was too young to participate in any of Hertha’s six pre-season friendlies in summer 2025, as Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 players are not permitted to appear in first-team games before turning 16.
What they're saying
“With Kennet, we now have one of the best German talents in our ranks.” - Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes
“It’s unbelievable what the boy can do. He’s mentally very focused with no airs or graces.” – veteran Hertha defender Toni Leistner
“You can’t tell [how young he is]. He’s doing really well in terms of his physique and understanding of the game. He’s very eager to learn.” – Hertha coach Leitl ahead of the 2025/26 campaign
