 Meyer withSchalke 04 in 2015 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Maximilian Meyer[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1995-09-18)18 September 1995 (age 30) | ||
| Place of birth | Oberhausen, Germany[2] | ||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[3] | ||
| Position | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | APOEL | ||
| Number | 7 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2000–2002 | FC Sardegna Oberhausen | ||
| 2002–2004 | Rot-Weiß Oberhausen | ||
| 2004–2009 | MSV Duisburg | ||
| 2009–2012 | Schalke 04 | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2013–2018 | Schalke 04 | 146 | (17) |
| 2013 | Schalke 04 II | 1 | (2) |
| 2018–2021 | Crystal Palace | 46 | (1) |
| 2021 | 1. FC Köln | 10 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | Fenerbahçe | 6 | (0) |
| 2022 | →Midtjylland (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| 2022–2024 | Luzern | 65 | (17) |
| 2024– | APOEL | 22 | (2) |
| International career | |||
| 2009 | Germany U15 | 1 | (1) |
| 2010–2011 | Germany U16 | 6 | (2) |
| 2011–2012 | Germany U17 | 18 | (9) |
| 2013–2015 | Germany U19 | 3 | (1) |
| 2014–2017 | Germany U21 | 24 | (7) |
| 2016 | Germany Olympic | 6 | (4) |
| 2014–2016 | Germany | 4 | (1) |
Medal record | |||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 25 June 2025 | |||
Maximilian Meyer (German pronunciation:[maks(iˈmiːli̯aːn)ˈmaɪɐ]; born 18 September 1995) is a German professionalfootballer who plays as anattacking midfielder forCypriot First Division clubAPOEL. He has represented theGermany national team.
Meyer began his career in 2000, playing for local clubs in his hometown ofOberhausen. He then played withinMSV Duisburg's youth system for five years, before moving toSchalke 04 in 2009. Following success at U-19 level, Meyer was promoted to the senior side, making his debut in 2013. Initially playing as anattacking midfielder, his position was made more defensive in the 2017–18 season, but a dispute with the Schalke hierarchy the following April saw him fall out of favour and subsequently run down his contract, becoming a free agent that summer.
Internationally, he represented Germany at various youth levels, playing for U15, U16, U17, U19 and U21 teams. He made his senior debut in 2014, and later captained the Olympic team at the2016 Summer Olympics, where they finished as runners-up.
Meyer began playing football at local club FC Sardegna Oberhausen before being scouted and signed byRot-Weiß Oberhausen at the age of seven.[4] He spent two years in the club's academy before joiningMSV Duisburg in 2004 where he remained for five years.[4] In 2009, he transferred toSchalke 04 where he was integrated into the club's youth teams. He progressed through the ranks and was part of the U19 side which won the 2011–12 German U-19 Championship, featuring in a 2–1 win overBayern Munich.[4][5] Meyer's form at u-19 level, which saw him score 11 goals and create 11assists in 15 appearances for the season, earned the attention of general managerHorst Heldt who signed him to his first professional contract.[6]
Following the departure of fellow midfielderLewis Holtby toTottenham Hotspur and the injuries of several other players, Meyer was included in Schalke'sBundesliga andUEFA Champions League squads for the2012–13 season. He made his debut for the club on 16 February 2013, coming on as a substitute forRaffael and assistingMichel Bastos for a late goal in a 2–2 draw withMainz 05.[4] His Champions League debut followed on 12 March when he appeared in a match against Turkish sideGalatasaray.[4] Still aged 17, Meyer left school, theGesamtschule Berger Feld, later that year before finishing his school-leaving examinations in order to focus on his football.[4][7]
Ahead of the2013–14 season, Meyer was issued shirt number 7 previously worn byRaúl.[4][8] He started the season by scoring a brace againstSSVg Velbert while playing for Schalke's reserve side,Schalke 04 II.[9] He then featured for the first team later that month in a 4–0 league win overVfL Wolfsburg, where he came on as a 73rd minute substitute forJefferson Farfán.[10] On 21 August, he made his first start for the club in aChampions League play-off match againstPAOK. In the return fixture, he came on as a second-half substitute and set upJulian Draxler to give Schalke the lead. He was then substituted off after just eight minutes as the club looked to hold on to the win, with German media later labelling his assist as a "€20m pass" as it helped Schalke qualify for the Champions League proper.[4] On 25 September, Meyer scored his first goal for Schalke in aDFB-Pokal match againstDarmstadt 98.[11] He scored goals in three consecutive matches against andAugsburg andBorussia Dortmund.[12][13][14] Following his impressive performance againstChelsea in the Champions League, he became a transfer target for the West London club, who were willing to pay Schalke €15 million.[15] On 30 November, Meyer signed a contract extension with Schalke until 30 June 2018.[16] On 26 January 2014, he scored in the first match after the winter break againstHamburger SV.[17]
In the2014–15 season, Meyer scored goals againstWerder Bremen (home and away),[18][19]Stuttgart[20] and1899 Hoffenheim.[21] His most significant contribution was in aChampions League group stage match againstMaribor, where he scored the only goal to take Schalke through to the round of 16,[22] but they ultimately came up short againstReal Madrid, losing 5–4 over two legs.
In the2015–16 season, Meyer scored goals againstHertha Berlin,[23]Bayern Munich,[24] Darmstadt 98,[25] Hamburger SV[26] andKöln.[27] He also scored in the finalEuropa League group match, the final goal in a comfortable 4–0 win overAsteras Tripoli.[28] Thefollowing season, Meyer only scored two goals in all competitions: once in a league win over againstMainz 05,[29] and the other in a Europa League win overPAOK.[30]
In the2017–18 season, under the tutelage of new managerDomenico Tedesco, Meyer played as a defensive midfielder. According toSky Germany reporter Dirk Grosse Schlarmann, the positional change better suited his qualities with an improvement in form, and because the crowd did not expect to him to win the match, he had more time to look and think about the opening pass when Schalke went on the attack. However, in April, Meyer publicly criticised sporting directorChristian Heidel and was left out of training for the rest of the season, which allowed him to run down the remainder of his contract until its expiration in June.[31]
On 2 August 2018, Meyer signed a three-year contract withCrystal Palace.[32] After playing regularly in his first season he began struggling for first team appearances in his second,[33] culminating in being dropped to theU23s in December 2020 after failing to play a single minute of League football in the first half of the Eagles'2020–21 season.[34]On 15 January 2021, Meyer leftCrystal Palace via mutual consent.[35]
On 25 January 2021, it was reported thatBundesliga side1. FC Köln had signed Meyer on a free transfer until the end of the2020–21 season.[36]
On 2 September 2021, Meyer signed a 2-year deal with Turkish sideFenerbahçe.[37] He made his debut in a 1–1Süper Lig draw againstSivasspor on 12 September 2021. On 4 November 2021, he scored his first goal for the club in a 3–0UEFA Europa League victory againstRoyal Antwerp.[38]
On 31 January 2022, Meyer was loaned to Danish sideMidtjylland on a half-year deal, with an option to buy.[39] However, after a disappointing season with only 13 appearances and zero goals, he returned to Fenerbahçe at the end of the season.[40]
Meyer moved toSwiss Super League clubFC Luzern in August 2022.[41] He signed a one-year contract, extended for a further season from June 2023.[41]
Meyer moved toAPOEL as a free agent.
Meyer was part of theGermany U17 squad for2012 UEFA European Under-17 Championship. He scored three goals to help Germany to reach the final, which the Germans lost in a penalty shoot-out to theNetherlands U17. Nevertheless, Meyer was top scorer and awarded best player of the tournament. Meyer won theFritz Walter U17 Silver Medal in 2012.[6] Meyer scored his first goal forGermany's U19 team in a friendly against theNetherlands U19.
Meyer was included in theGermany senior team's 30-man provisional squad for2014 FIFA World Cup.[42] On 13 May 2014, he made his senior debut againstPoland.[43] Though Meyer started the match, in the 76th minute he wassubstituted out forMaximilian Arnold.[44] On 31 October 2016, Meyer scored his first goal for Germany in a 2–0 friendly win againstFinland inMönchengladbach.[45]
Alongside Schalke teammateLeon Goretzka, Meyer was named in the squad for the2016 Summer Olympics.[46] Meyer would captain the team for the rest of the tournament after Goretzka suffered a shoulder injury. On 11 August 2016, Meyer scored ahat-trick in a 10–0 win overFiji U23, although he also missed a penalty.[47] In the gold medal final, played on 21 August, Meyer scored the equaliser that extended the decision to penalty shootout, which Germany lost toBrazil U23, 5–4.[48]
Because of his dribbling abilities and his high speed, his playing style is compared to that ofLionel Messi.[49] When asked about his good technique, Meyer replied, "At the age of 10 I dabbled infutsal for four years besides the football club. In addition to the three workouts at the club I had one complementary futsal session per week. Saturday noon was the time for the football game and in the afternoon the futsal game took place."[50]
Meyer describes his diet as "80%vegan".[51]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Schalke 04 | 2012–13 | Bundesliga | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | ||
| 2013–14 | Bundesliga | 30 | 6 | 2 | 1 | — | 9[c] | 0 | — | 41 | 7 | |||
| 2014–15 | Bundesliga | 28 | 5 | 1 | 0 | — | 8[c] | 1 | — | 37 | 6 | |||
| 2015–16 | Bundesliga | 32 | 5 | 2 | 0 | — | 7[d] | 1 | — | 41 | 6 | |||
| 2016–17 | Bundesliga | 27 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 9[d] | 1 | — | 39 | 2 | |||
| 2017–18 | Bundesliga | 24 | 0 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | 28 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 146 | 17 | 12 | 2 | — | 34 | 3 | — | 192 | 22 | ||||
| Schalke 04 II | 2013–14 | Regionalliga West | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | ||||
| Crystal Palace | 2018–19 | Premier League | 29 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 36 | 2 | ||
| 2019–20 | Premier League | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 19 | 0 | |||
| 2020–21 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| Total | 46 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 56 | 2 | ||||
| 1. FC Köln | 2020–21 | Bundesliga | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1[e] | 0 | 12 | 0 | ||
| Fenerbahçe | 2021–22 | Süper Lig | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 5[d] | 1 | — | 12 | 1 | ||
| Midtjylland (loan) | 2021–22 | Danish Superliga | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 2[f] | 0 | — | 13 | 0 | ||
| FC Luzern | 2022–23 | Swiss Super League | 29 | 11 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 31 | 12 | |||
| 2023–24 | Swiss Super League | 34 | 5 | 3 | 2 | — | 4[f] | 0 | — | 41 | 7 | |||
| Total | 63 | 16 | 5 | 3 | — | 4 | 0 | — | 72 | 19 | ||||
| Career total | 280 | 36 | 27 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 45 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 358 | 46 | ||
| National team | Year | App | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 2014 | 1 | 0 |
| 2016 | 3 | 1 | |
| Total | 4 | 1 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 31 August 2016 | Borussia-Park, Mönchengladbach, Germany |  Finland | 1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
FC Midtjylland
Germany U17
Germany U21
Germany U23
Max Meyer – Schüler an der GEBF bis 2012/13
 | ||
