Mitchell Langerak

Mitchell Langerak

Langerak with VfB Stuttgart in 2015.
Personal information
Full name Mitchell James Langerak[1]
Date of birth (1988-08-22) 22 August 1988
Place of birth Emerald, Queensland, Australia
Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)[2]
Playing position Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team
VfB Stuttgart
Number 1
Youth career
1996–2002 Tieri Tigers
2003–2005 Bundaberg Waves
2006–2007 AIS
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2010 Melbourne Victory 21 (0)
2007South Melbourne (loan) 14 (0)
2010–2012 Borussia Dortmund II 10 (0)
2010–2015 Borussia Dortmund 19 (0)
2015– VfB Stuttgart 0 (0)
2016– VfB Stuttgart II 1 (0)
National team
2006 Australia U-20 5 (0)
2013– Australia 6 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 31 March 2016.
† Appearances (goals)

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 5 April 2015

Mitchell "Mitch" James Langerak i/ˈmɪəl ˈlæŋəræk/ (born 22 August 1988) is an Australian footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for the German Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart.

Club career

Melbourne Victory

Mitchell Langerak playing for the Melbourne Victory youth team in 2009.

Langerak signed his first professional contract in February 2007, with A-League club Melbourne Victory.[3] Soon after he was sent on loan to South Melbourne for the remainder of the 2007 Victorian Premier League season, to gain game time and experience.[4]

Once the loan finished Langerak continued his duties as the Victory's third choice goalkeeper before Eugene Galekovic moved to Adelaide United. He made his debut for Melbourne in the Round 21 clash of the 2007–08 season against rivals Sydney FC and despite letting in two goals, his performance in the 2–2 draw was a confident debut.[5]

With Galekovic making a move to Adelaide United, Langerak became the second choice keeper. With first choice Michael Theoklitos making his move overseas, Victory signed New Zealand international Glen Moss from Wellington Phoenix. Moss started the 2009–10 as Melbourne's first choice keeper before Langerak grasped his opportunity in the first team to become the side's first choice keeper for the remainder of the season.

On 13 April 2010, Melbourne announced that they had rejected a bid for Langerak from German giants, Borussia Dortmund, however talks continued.[6] On 4 May 2010, Langerak revealed to FourFourTwo Magazine, that Borussia Dortmund had made a second, substantially increased, bid for his services on the same day as the interview, but was again rejected by Melbourne Victory.

Borussia Dortmund

Langerak with Borussia Dortmund in 2013

On 12 May 2010, Melbourne Victory accepted a third offer for Langerak from Borussia Dortmund sealing a four-year-deal with BVB.[7] After joining Dortmund, Langerak became the club's second choice goalkeeper during the 2010–11 Bundesliga season and was a regular in matchday squads. Langerak said his goal for the season was to learn as much as possible.

With Roman Weidenfeller injured, Langerak started his first game for Dortmund in their 3–1 win against reigning German champions Bayern Munich, where he showed a solid performance. Langerak made a return to the first team squad for the first time picked before an available Weidenfeller in Dortmunds second round DFB-Pokal game with Dynamo Dresden. During the game many flares were lit in Signal Iduna Park bringing some concern; no action was taken and Langerak showed signs of jubilation with manager Jürgen Klopp after the game as he recorded his first clean sheet in front of over 80,000 in attendance.

On 12 May 2012, two years to the day after sealing his move to Borussia Dortmund, Langerak came on as a 32nd-minute substitute in the DFB-Pokal final against Bayern Munich. He came on for the injured Roman Weidenfeller who had suspected rib damage after a challenge with Mario Gómez earlier in the game. Dortmund went on to win the game 5–2 to claim the cup and Langerak's third title in two seasons at the club.

On 27 July 2013, Langerak won the 2013 DFL-Supercup with Dortmund 4–2 against rivals Bayern Munich.[8]

Langerak played the BVB opener of the 2013–2014 Bundesliga against Augsburg where he kept a clean sheet in a 4–0 win.[9] This means that in the 7 league and Bundesliga games in which Langerak has played, Borussia Dortmund have won.

On 18 September 2013, Langerak made his Champions League debut against Napoli after Weidenfeller was sent off. He broke two front teeth in collision with a goalpost in an unsuccessful attempt to stop Lorenzo Insigne scoring.[10]

On 23 August 2014, Langerak conceded the fastest goal (9 seconds), in the history of Bundesliga, on the opening game of the season 2014–15, a home match against Bayer Leverkusen, which ended 0–2 loss for Dortmund.[11]

VfB Stuttgart

For the 2015–16 season, Langerak moved to VfB Stuttgart.[12]

International career

Langerak was selected in the Young Socceroos squad to play in the AFC Youth Championship 2006. Langerak received his first senior national team call-up in March 2011, named by coach Holger Osieck as a member of the 17-man squad to play Germany in a friendly match.[13]

Langerak made his debut for Australia in an international friendly against France on 12 October 2013, a match in which the Socceroos were thrashed 6–0, courtesy of goals from Franck Ribéry, Olivier Giroud, Yohan Cabaye, Mathieu Debuchy and Karim Benzema. This match turned out to be manager Holger Osieck's final match in charge of Australia, with his sacking coming shortly after the conclusion of the match. Langerak made his second appearance for Australia against Canada, a match which Australia won 3–0, courtesy of goals from Joshua Kennedy, Dario Vidošić and Mathew Leckie. Langerak was included in the 23 man squad going to Brazil for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He was also included in Australia's final list for 2015 AFC Asian Cup, being held in Australia, but he didn't play any match even Australia's triumph at the 2015 Asian Cup.

Honours

Club

Langerak with Borussia Dortmund in 2014
Melbourne Victory
Borussia Dortmund

International

Australia

Individual

Career statistics

Club

As of 30 June 2015.
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
South Melbourne (loan)2007Victorian Premier League140140
Total140140
Melbourne Victory2007–08A-League10301050
2008–0940100050
2009–1016050210
Total2104060310
Borussia Dortmund2010–11Bundesliga10000010
2011–1220300050
2012–1330000030
2013–1440302090
2014–15907010170
Total19013030350
VfB Stuttgart2015–16Bundesliga 00100010
Total00100010
Career total54018090810

International

As of 15 October 2014.
National team Year Apps Goals
Australia 2013 2 0
2014 3 0
2015 0 0
Total 5 0

    References

    1. "2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. 11 June 2014. p. 3. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
    2. "Mitchell Langerak". socceroos.com.au. Football Federation Australia. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
    3. "Kevin Muscat top shelf". Herald Sun. 24 February 2007. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
    4. "Victory scores match as South nets keeper". Melbourne Victory FC. 1 June 2007. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
    5. "Mitch Langerak is keeping up". The Age. 26 September 2008. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
    6. "Langerak move denied". Sportal.co.nz. 13 April 2010. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
    7. "Langerak Gets Dortmund Move". Au.fourfourtwo.com. 13 May 2010. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
    8. "Dortmund prevail over Bayern in Supercup thriller".
    9. "FC Augsburg vs Borussia Dortmund Report". Goal.com. goal.com. 10 August 2013. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
    10. "Australian Mitch Langerak thrilled with ECL clean sheet". Sydney Morning Herald. Agence France-Presse. 2 October 2013. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
    11. "Borussia Dortmund 0–2 Bayer 04 Leverkusen". BBC Sport. 23 August 2014. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
    12. "VfB sign Mitchell Langerak". vfb.de. VfB Stuttgart. 29 June 2015. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
    13. "Holger Osieck names Socceroos squad for Germany match". FFA. Retrieved 15 March 2011.

    External links

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