Top 10 Amazing Facts about Football Star Kai Havertz

Kai Havertz in action for Chelsea by Oleg Bkhambri (Voltmetro) – Wikimedia Commons

Top 10 Amazing Facts about Football Star Kai Havertz

Kai Lukas Havertz is a German professional footballer currently playing at Premier League club Chelsea. He is deployed as an attacking midfielder or forward as a ‘false nine’ sometimes.

The midfielder is technically gifted and is exceptionally good on the ball. He possesses the vision and skill to pick a pass accurately from 30 yards out. This has earned him comparisons with midfield greats such as fellow German Mesut Ozil and Belgian Kevin De Bruyne.

The public caught wind of the playmaker’s ability while he was at Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga. He is one of the many young generational German talents in the modern game. This list includes the likes of Timo Werner, Leon Goretzka, Leroy Sane, Jamal Musiala, and Serge Gnabry.

Below are some interesting facts about Die Mannschaft’s Kai Havertz.

1. Talent Was Nurtured by His Grandfather

Kai Havertz was born on 11th June 1999 in Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. His father is a policeman while his mother is a lawyer.

According to Havertz, he owes a great deal to his grandfather as far as his football career is concerned. His father is not a gifted player but his grandfather played with him as a child in their garden. By playing with his grandfather, he was able to improve his ball control and shooting skills.

2. Joined Bayer Leverkusen at Age 11

At age 4, Kai Havertz began his football journey at club Alemannia Mariadorf where his grandfather was the chairman. In 2009 he was signed by club Alemannia Aachen in Germany’s 2. Bundesliga.

After a single year at the club, Bayer Leverkusen spotted his talent and signed him. Havertz was 11 years old at the time.

Havertz’s professional career began when, at the age of 15, he was promoted to Leverkusen’s Under-17 squad. He helped the team overcome a 25-year championship drought by winning a national youth championship.

3. Two-Time Fritz Walter Medal Winner

Havertz has earned two ‘Fritz Walter Medals,’ as they are known. The German Football Association awards medals to the two most talented players in the nation. The award is presented annually to two age groups each year.

The medals are categorized into gold, silver, and bronze in each category, with their respective values listed logically in that order. Havertz took home the silver and gold medals in the under-17 and under-19 age groups, respectively.

4. He Was Bayer Leverkusen’s Youngest-Ever Bundesliga Debutant

Kai Havertz at Bayer Leverkusen by Fuguito – Wikimedia Commons

On 15th October 2016, Havertz made his Bundesliga debut in a 2-1 loss against Bremen. He came on as a substitute for Charles Aránguiz.

After making his debut, he became the club’s youngest-ever Bundesliga debutant Havertz was 17 years and 126 days old. However, the record has since been broken by German wunderkind Florian Wirtz who debuted at 17 years and 15 days.

5. Record Breaker

At the age of 18 years and 307 days, he surpassed Timo Werner’s previous record. He became the youngest player to reach 50 Bundesliga appearances.

At the age of 19 years, 7 months, and 16 days, he scored from the penalty spot for Leverkusen against Wolfsburg in a 3-0 victory, becoming the team’s youngest player to do so.

Havertz also became the youngest player to score 13 goals in a single league season. The record was previously held by Stuttgart’s own Horst Koppel in 1967–68. In that same season, he became the highest-scoring teenager in a single Bundesliga campaign with 17 goals.

6. Joined Chelsea for £62 million

Kai Havertz coming on for Chelsea by Oleg Bkhambri (Voltmetro) – Wikimedia Commons

Havertz committed to a five-year deal with Premier League team Chelsea on September 4, 2020. Initial estimates put the transfer fee’s value at £62 million.

After Kepa Arrizabalaga at the time, he was Chelsea’s second-most costly acquisition. He made his Chelsea debut on September 14 in a 3-1 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion in the league opener.

His first goal for Chelsea came in a hattrick in the FA Cup. Not a bad way to kickstart your life at a new club. The hattrick was scored n Chelsea’s 6-0 home win as they dispatched Burnley on 23rd September 2020.

7. Champions League Winner

Kai Havertz’s first season was tumultuous, to say the least. Chelsea fans and even rivals all agree that for the price they paid for him, he was underperforming.

However, the end of the season ended or at least concealed any notion that he was a flop. This s because he scored the lone goal in a champions league final sealing Chelsea’s win.

Havertz displayed all the skills he was famous for in the goal he scored. He made a smart run in the left channel. Took a lovely first touch past the keeper and slotted it into the empty net. The goal broke Manchester City’s hearts.

8. Missed Football Matches Due to School

Filling an exam sheet by F1 Digitals from Pixabay

Ridiculous as it sounds, schools have been a constant issue for upcoming football stars. This is more so an issue for European matches that are played midweek other than on weekends.

Imagine missing a UEFA Champions League game due to school! Missing as a fan is sad enough but what about playing in one?

Havertz was selected to start in the absence of Hakan Calhanoglu early in his Bayer Leverkusen career. He participated in the harrowing 2-4 home loss to Atletico Madrid in the first leg.

Kai was anticipated to be listed on the team sheet for the second leg, which was one month later. He was unable to perform, though, because of his schoolwork!

9. 2 Nicknames: ‘Alleskonner’ & ‘Das Hafhaf’

The German media sometimes refers to Havertz as “Alleskonner”. The term refers to a player who can do everything and to this date he retains this characteristic.

Proof of this is that at Chelsea he is deployed in several positions including attacking midfield and striker. During his time at Leverkusen, Havertz was given the nickname ‘Das Hafhaf’.

10. Made His International Debut in 2018

Kai Havertz on international duty by Steffen Prößdorf – Wikimedia Commons

Joachim Löw called up Havertz to the senior German squad on August 29, 2018. On September 9, 2018, against Peru, he made his debut for his country after taking Timo Werner’s place in the 88th minute. He made his national team debut, becoming the first athlete born in 1999 to do so.

Havertz has established himself as a regular starter for Löw’s Germany. With the upcoming 2022 Qatar World Cup, he will surely be one of the first names on the team sheet.

Germany has had a rough couple of years recently since winning the 2014 World Cup. Havertz along with his young but experienced teammates will hope to change their luck on the big stage.