He began his career atVfB Stuttgart, winning theBundesliga in 2007, before moving toReal Madrid in 2010. In his five seasons in Spain, he won seven domestic and international trophies, including theUEFA Champions League in 2014. In 2015, he moved to Italian sideJuventus on a free transfer, and won theSerie A title andCoppa Italia in his first three seasons with the club, followed by two more league titles and aSupercoppa Italiana.
A full international for Germany since 2009, Khedira earned 77 caps for the national team.[5] He has taken part at threeFIFA World Cups and twoUEFA European Championships with Germany, and was part of their squads which reached the semi-finals at the2010 FIFA World Cup, as well as the2012 and2016 UEFA European Football Championships; he also won the2014 FIFA World Cup.
Club career
VfB Stuttgart
Before joining the youth team ofVfB Stuttgart in 1995, he played at TV Oeffingen. In the first months of the 2006–07 season, he was called up into VfB'sBundesliga squad by managerArmin Veh. His debut followed on 1 October 2006 againstHertha BSC, replacingAntônio da Silva at the end of the 2–2 away draw. He scored his first two goals on 29 October in the 3–0 win againstSchalke 04 at theMercedes-Benz Arena. On 29 January 2007 he signed his first professional contract at VfB, valid until June 2009.[6] In the last game of the season on 19 May, Khedira scored the winner asDie Schwaben came from behind to defeatEnergie Cottbus 2–1 and became champions for the first time in 15 years.[7]
On 9 July 2008, he extended his contract until the summer of 2011.[8] Inthe ensuing season, he scored a career-best 7 league goals in 27 games, including both in a 2–2 draw againstBayern Munich on 13 December.[9]
On 30 July 2010, Khedira moved toReal Madrid after 98 Bundesliga appearances[10] for an undisclosed fee, signing a contract until 2015.[11] Khedira made his debut on 13 August in a friendly match againstBayern Munich, which Real Madrid won 4–2 on penalties for theFranz-Beckenbauer-Cup. Hisleague debut came sixteen days later, in a 0–0 away draw againstMallorca.[12] He made 40 appearances across his first season in Spain and won his first club honour on 20 April 2011 as his team won theCopa del Reyfinal againstEl Clásico rivalsFC Barcelona.[13]
He scored his first competitive goal for Real Madrid in theChampions League, on 18 October 2011 againstOlympique Lyonnais.[14] He scored his first Copa del Rey goal againstMálaga CF in a 3–2 home win when Real Madrid were trailing behind 0–2, and his first league goal againstRCD Espanyol in a 5–0 home win.[15]
On 21 April 2012, Khedira scored his second league goal, against Barcelona; the goal was Real Madrid's 108th of the season in the league, breaking the previous La Liga record of 107, also set by them in the1989–90 season.[16]
On 9 June 2015, Italian sideJuventus announced that Khedira had signed a four-year deal on a free transfer. The move was completed on 1 July, at the start of the2015–16 season.[18][19]
Khedira (left) playing againstLokomotiv Moscow during the 2019–20 season
On 1 August, Khedira was stretchered off the pitch after just 25 minutes while playing in a pre-season friendly match againstMarseille with ahamstring injury and was ruled out of theSupercoppa Italiana a week later againstLazio.[20][21] Two days later Juventus confirmed that it was actually a muscle tear in his right thigh, and that he would be sidelined for approximately two months.[22] He was called back to action on 30 September as he started in aChampions League group stage match in a 2–0 win overSevilla.[23] On 4 October, Khedira made hisSerie A debut, starting and scoring the final goal of a 3–1 home win againstBologna in the 63rd minute.[24]
On 20 March 2016, Khedira scored his fourth goal of theleague season in a 4–1 win atTorino in theDerby della Mole, but was given a straight red card for dissent later on.[25]
On 20 August 2016, Khedira opened the2016–17 Serie A season with a goal in a 2–1 home win overFiorentina.[26] A week later he scored the only goal in a 1–0 away win over Lazio in the league.[27]
On 22 October 2017, Khedira scored his first careerhat-trick in a 6–2 away win overUdinese.[28][29]
In September 2018, Khedira signed a new contract with Juventus, which would keep him at the team until 2021.[33] In February 2019 he was ruled out for a month to undergo treatment after it was diagnosed that he suffered from an irregular heartbeat.[34][35] He returned to action on 6 April, coming as a substitute for his injured compatriotEmre Can in a 2–1 home win overMilan.[36]
Hertha BSC
On 1 February 2021, Khedira returned to the Bundesliga, signing forHertha BSC.[37] On 5 February 2021, he made his debut in a 0–1 defeat againstBayern Munich.[38] On 19 May 2021, he announced that he would retire at the end of the 2020–21 season.[39]
Khedira made his debut for the senior national squad on 5 September 2009 in a friendly match againstSouth Africa. He was substituted on in the 73rd minute forSimon Rolfes.[41][42]
2010 World Cup
Khedira was called up to theGerman squad for the2010 World Cup in South Africa by coachJoachim Löw. Filling in for the injuredMichael Ballack as a central midfielder, he played in all seven matches, and was only substituted twice, as Germany reached the semi-finals. After appearances in five friendlies prior to the World Cup, he made his first competitive appearance againstAustralia in Germany's firstgroup game. On 10 July 2010, with his first senior international goal, he scored Germany's 16th and last goal of the tournament, in the third place match againstUruguay; Khedira's match-winning header, which came eight minutes from time, ensured the final 3–2 scoreline, and won theyoung German team the bronze medal.[43]
Euro 2012
Khedira was in the starting lineup in eightqualification matches forEuro 2012, helping Germany top theirqualifying group with a record ten wins out of ten matches. During the final tournament, he featured in every minute of their run to the semi-finals, scoring in the 4–2 quarter-final win overGreece at thePGE Arena Gdańsk, and was selected for the Team of the Tournament.[44]
Khedira tore hisACL in his right knee in afriendly match againstItaly on 15 November 2013 and it was estimated that he would be ruled out for around six months, which put his participation at the2014 FIFA World Cup into question.[45] However, he recovered in time to be named in Germany's squad for the tournament,[46] and was selected to start in the team's opening match, a 4–0 win againstPortugal.[47] On 8 July, he scored Germany's fifth goal in the7–1semi-final defeat of hostsBrazil.[48] He was injured during the pre-match warmup forthe Final againstArgentina, and was replaced byChristoph Kramer in the team's starting line-up,[49] as Germany eventually won 1–0 after extra time.[50]
Euro 2016
Khedira was named to Joachim Löw's 23-man Germany squad forUEFA Euro 2016.[51] On 2 July, he was forced off after sustaining an injury in the first half of the quarter-finals againstItaly, and was ruled out for the remainder of the tournament; Germany won the match 6–5 in the resulting penalty shoot-out, following a 1–1 draw after extra-time.[52] As in the previous edition of the tournament, Germany were once again eliminated in the semi-finals of the competition, following a 2–0 defeat to hostsFrance on 7 July.[53]
On 4 June 2018, Khedira was included in Joachim Löw's final 23-man squad for the2018 FIFA World Cup.[55] As Germany were eliminated in the group stage, Khedira was deemed as one of the weakest performers in the squad. After the tournament, he was left off the team for the subsequentUEFA Nations League matches.[56]
Style of play
Khedira is considered a dynamic and well-roundedmidfielder, with good awareness and "flawless aerial ability", who can cover a lot of ground efficiently, recover the ball and quickly join in the team's attacking plays; he is also capable of being a goal threat with his heading accuracy and powerful mid-range shooting.[57][4] A physically strong, energetic, and tactically intelligent player, he is also known for his ball-winning abilities, work-rate, and vision, as well as his solid technique and reliable passing, which allow him to play anywhere in midfield; although usually acentral midfielder, he has also been deployed as adefensive midfielder, as abox-to-box midfielder, or even in a moreoffensive role as amezzala, due to his stamina, movement (both on and off the ball), positional sense, and versatility, which also enable him to create space or contribute to his team's offensive plays with goals, due to his ability to make late runs into the penalty area from behind.[18][58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65]Jonathan Wilson, when writing forThe Guardian in 2013, described Khedira as a "destroyer with carrying tendencies," namely a holding midfielder who is predominantly tasked with running, winning back possession, and distributing the ball to other players, but who is also "capable of making late runs or carrying the ball at his feet."[66] In spite of his playing ability, however, Khedira is also known to be injury-prone.[67] His playing role and style have been likened to that of compatriotTorsten Frings.[68]
Broadcasting
In May 2021, Khedira was announced as one of several former players who would serve as studio analysts forESPN's coverage of therescheduledUEFA Euro 2020.[69]
.jpg)
.jpg)
