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Holger BadstuberGerman footballer, defender of Bayern Munich
Date of Birth: 13.03.1989
Country:  Germany |
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Biography of Holger Badstuber
Holger Badstuber is a German footballer who plays as a defender for Bayern Munich. He is primarily a center-back but occasionally switches to the left flank. Former Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal once described him as the best left-footed defender in Germany. Badstuber was born in Memmingen, Bavaria. He started his career at Bayern Munich's youth team from 2002 to 2007. After some time in the reserve team, he signed a full contract with the club in July 2009.
In the 2008-2009 season, Badstuber made several substitute appearances. He made his league debut in the 2009-2010 season against Hoffenheim and quickly became a regular in the team's defense. He scored his first goal on December 4, 2009, against Borussia Mönchengladbach. His performance improved rapidly, and by the 2009-2010 season, he was regularly included in the starting lineup for league matches. On February 4, 2009, it was announced that Badstuber had signed a new contract with the club, which would expire in 2014.
Turmoil with Louis van Gaal
In the 2010-2011 season, Badstuber had some tensions with coach Louis van Gaal. Despite Van Gaal's overall high regard for Badstuber's playing ability, he criticized some of the defender's actions. The coach even excluded Badstuber from the starting lineup several times. However, with the arrival of Jupp Heynckes, Badstuber regained his position as a center-back. Together with his teammate Jerome Boateng, he formed an impenetrable defense line, allowing the team to keep 11 consecutive clean sheets. Thanks in part to Badstuber's contribution, Bayern Munich reached the final of the UEFA Champions League in the 2011-2012 season, defeating Real Madrid, Napoli, and Manchester City along the way.
International Career
Badstuber made his debut for the German national team in 2010 during the World Cup. He played as a substitute against Hungary on May 29 and was included in the starting lineup for the friendly match against Bosnia and Herzegovina - the last match before the tournament. Badstuber made his World Cup debut against Australia, playing the full 90 minutes and providing a solid defensive performance. Germany won the match 4-0. However, in the next game against Serbia, Badstuber's performance was criticized, and he was replaced by Jerome Boateng for the rest of the tournament. Badstuber learned from his mistakes and focused on improving his game. He shone during the European Championship qualifiers, helping Germany win all 10 matches. He scored his first international goal against Azerbaijan. Although Germany progressed to the playoffs, they were eliminated in the semifinals by Italy, with Badstuber being beaten by Mario Balotelli for one of the decisive goals.
