Mark Flekken
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Mark Flekken (born 13 June 1993) is a Dutch professional
footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...
who plays as a
goalkeeper In many team sports that involve scoring goal (sport), goals, the goalkeeper (sometimes termed goaltender, netminder, GK, goalie, or keeper) is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by blocking or i ...
for
Bundesliga The Bundesliga (; ), sometimes referred to as the Fußball-Bundesliga () or 1. Bundesliga (), is a professional association football league in Germany and the highest level of the German football league system. The Bundesliga comprises 18 teams ...
club
Bayer Leverkusen Bayer 04 Leverkusen, officially known as Bayer 04 Leverkusen Fußball GmbH () and commonly known as Bayer Leverkusen or simply Leverkusen, is a German professional football club based in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia. It competes in the B ...
and the Netherlands national team.


Early years

Flekken grew up in
Bocholtz Bocholtz (; ) is a town in the Netherlands, Dutch province of Limburg (Netherlands), Limburg. It is a part of the municipality of Simpelveld, and lies about 7 km southwest of Kerkrade. Until 1982, it was a separate municipality. History ...
,
Limburg Limburg or Limbourg may refer to: Regions * Limburg (Belgium), a province since 1839 in the Flanders region of Belgium * Limburg (Netherlands), a province since 1839 in the south of the Netherlands * Diocese of Limburg, Roman Catholic Diocese in ...
, Netherlands on the German border. His parents René and Annie used to play football themselves, and his younger brother Roy also became a goalkeeper.


Club career


Alemannia Aachen and Greuther Fürth

Flekken started his career in the youth department of RKVV WDZ from Bocholtz before moving to the youth academy of
Roda JC Kerkrade Sportvereniging Roda Juliana Combinatie Kerkrade (; ), shortly as Roda JC Kerkrade () or commonly Roda JC or simply Roda, is a Dutch professional association football, football club based in Kerkrade, Netherlands. Roda JC Kerkrade plays in the ...
. In 2009, he moved across the border to the youth teams of the then 2. Bundesliga club
Alemannia Aachen Aachener Turn- und Sportverein Alemannia 1900 e. V., short Alemannia Aachen (), is a German football club from the western city of Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia. A long-term fixture of the country's second division, Alemannia enjoyed a three- ...
. On 22 September 2011, he signed his first professional contract. During the winter break of the 2012–13 3. Liga season, Flekken was appointed as the starting goalkeeper by coach René van Eck after the financially troubled club had parted ways with Michael Melka. Flekken made his debut on 26 January 2013 in a 2–0 home game against
1. FC Saarbrücken 1. Fußball-Club Saarbrücken () is a German Football in Germany, football club based in Saarbrücken, Saarland. The club plays in the 3. Liga, which is the third tier of football in Germany. History The club began its existence as the footbal ...
. Ahead of the 2013–14 season, Flekken moved to the 2. Bundesliga club
SpVgg Greuther Fürth Spielvereinigung Greuther Fürth (), commonly known as Greuther Fürth (), is a Football in Germany, German football club based in Fürth, Bavaria. They play in the 2. Bundesliga, the second tier of the German football league system, following r ...
. There, he only made three league appearances in three years as a backup goalkeeper behind
Wolfgang Hesl Wolfgang Hesl (born 13 January 1986) is a German former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Career Hesl joined Hamburger SV in 2004 and was part of the club's first team since the beginning of the 2005–06 season. After making o ...
and Sebastian Mielitz.


MSV Duisburg

Flekken signed for
MSV Duisburg Meidericher Spielverein 02 e. V. Duisburg, commonly known as simply MSV Duisburg (), is a Football in Germany, German association football club based in Duisburg, North Rhine-Westphalia. Nicknamed ''Die Zebras'' for their traditional striped jer ...
on 12 June 2016. On 7 August 2016, he scored a goal, after a corner, in a 1–1 draw against
VfL Osnabrück VfL Osnabrück is a German multi-sport club in Osnabrück, Lower Saxony. It currently fields teams in basketball, gymnastics, swimming, table tennis, and tennis but is by far best known for its Association football, football section. The footba ...
, when he went to the opposite box during the last minute. In February 2018, Flekken conceded a goal in a 2. Bundesliga match against FC Ingolstadt, when he turned his back on the play to take a drink from his water bottle.


SC Freiburg

Flekken joined
SC Freiburg Sport-Club Freiburg e.V., commonly known as SC Freiburg (), is a Football in Germany, German professional football club, based in the city of Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg. It plays in the Bundesliga, having been promoted as champions ...
for the 2018–19 season. A backup to
Alexander Schwolow Alexander Schwolow (born 2 June 1992) is a German professional association footballer, footballer who plays as a goalkeeper (association football), goalkeeper for Bundesliga club 1. FC Union Berlin, Union Berlin. Club career Youth years Schwo ...
throughout the season, he made his debut in the final matchday of the 2018–19 season against 1. FC Nürnberg. After Schwolow's departure before the start of the 2020–21 season, he was appointed the new starter, but shortly after he suffered a complicated elbow injury while warming up for the
DFB-Pokal The DFB-Pokal (), also known as the German Cup in English language, English, is a German knockout Association football, football cup competition held annually by the German Football Association (DFB). Sixty-four teams participate in the competiti ...
match against
SV Waldhof Mannheim SV Waldhof Mannheim is a multi-sports club, located in Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg. It is most known for its association football team; however, there are also professional handball and table-tennis sides. The club today has a membership of ov ...
which sidelined him for the entire season. Meanwhile, he was replaced in goal by Florian Müller, who was on loan from
Mainz 05 1. Fußball- und Sport-Verein Mainz 05 e. V., usually shortened to 1. FSV Mainz 05 or simply Mainz 05 (), is a German professional sports club, founded in 1905 and based in Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate. Mainz 05 play in the Bundesliga, the top tie ...
. He returned as the starter in goal on 9 May 2021; before that he had regained match practice with the Freiburg reserves in the
Regionalliga Südwest The Regionalliga Südwest ('Regional League Southwest') is the fourth tier of the German football league system in the states of Hesse, Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland. It is one of five leagues at this level, together with t ...
. Flekken started the 2021–22 season as the undisputed first-choice goalkeeper and, after ten games in a row without defeat, saw the team in third place of the league, to which he had contributed with the league's best rate of shots saved.


Brentford

On 31 May 2023, Flekken signed for
Premier League The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...
club
Brentford Brentford is a suburban town in West (London sub region), West London, England and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It lies at the confluence of the River Brent and the River Thames, Thames, west of Charing Cross. Its economy has dive ...
for a reported fee of £11 million.


2023–24 season

In his debut season, Flekken recorded seven clean sheets and made 113 saves, ranking eighth in both categories across the Premier League. He also stood out for his distribution, becoming one of only two goalkeepers in the league to register an assist, setting up a goal for Neal Maupay against
Manchester City Manchester City Football Club is a professional association football, football club based in Manchester, England, that competes in the Premier League, the English football league system, top flight of Football in England, English footbal ...
. He made four key passes, the most by any goalkeeper in the division that season. In February 2024, Flekken won the
Premier League Save of the Month The Premier League Save of the Month is an association football award that recognises the goalkeeper deemed to have made the best Premier League save in each month of the season from August to April. For sponsorship purposes, it was called the C ...
award for a reflex save against Pedro Neto of
Wolverhampton Wanderers Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club ( ), commonly referred to as Wolves, is a professional association football, football club based in Wolverhampton, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league s ...
. The stop was later nominated for Premier League Save of the Season. His form across the campaign earned him a call-up to the Netherlands national team for
UEFA Euro 2024 The 2024 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2024 (stylised as UEFA EURO 2024) or simply Euro 2024, was the 17th UEFA European Championship, the quadrennial international Association football, football champ ...
.


2024–25 season

In the 2024–25 season, he maintained a high level of performance and was named Brentford’s Player of the Month for February 2025 after conceding just one goal across three matches, including clean sheets in victories over
West Ham United West Ham United Football Club is a professional Association football, football club based in Stratford, London, Stratford, East London, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English f ...
and
Leicester City Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area, and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest city in the East Midlands with a popula ...
. By April 2025, he had made more saves than any other goalkeeper in Europe’s top five leagues, with 103, and ranked eighth in the Premier League for save percentage at 72.5%. In addition, Flekken was rated as the fifth best goalkeeper in the world according to data from the CIES Football Observatory Index. Upon the conclusion of the 2024–25 season, he led the Premier League in saves, making 153 with a save percentage of 73.6%.


Bayer Leverkusen

On 3 June 2025, Flekken signed for
Bundesliga The Bundesliga (; ), sometimes referred to as the Fußball-Bundesliga () or 1. Bundesliga (), is a professional association football league in Germany and the highest level of the German football league system. The Bundesliga comprises 18 teams ...
club
Bayer Leverkusen Bayer 04 Leverkusen, officially known as Bayer 04 Leverkusen Fußball GmbH () and commonly known as Bayer Leverkusen or simply Leverkusen, is a German professional football club based in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia. It competes in the B ...
on a three-year deal for a reported fee of around €10 million.


International career

Flekken was called up to the senior Netherlands national team squad for the
2022 FIFA World Cup qualification The 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification was the FIFA World Cup qualification, qualifying process which decided the 31 teams that would join hosts Qatar national football team, Qatar, who received an automatic spot, at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Par ...
matches against
Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...
and
Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...
on 13 and 16 November 2021, respectively. Flekken made his international debut for the Netherlands on 26 March 2022 in a friendly match against
Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
. On 29 May 2024, Flekken was named in the Netherlands' squad for
UEFA Euro 2024 The 2024 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2024 (stylised as UEFA EURO 2024) or simply Euro 2024, was the 17th UEFA European Championship, the quadrennial international Association football, football champ ...
.


Career statistics


Club


International


Honours

MSV Duisburg *
3. Liga The 3. Liga is a professional association football league and the third division in Germany. In the German football league system, it is positioned between the 2. Bundesliga and the fourth-tier Regionalliga. The modern 3. Liga was formed for t ...
: 2016–17 *
Lower Rhine Cup The Lower Rhine Cup (German: ''Niederrheinpokal'') is a German football club Cup competition open to teams from the Lower Rhine region of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The competition is one of the 21 regional cup competitions of German foo ...
: 2016–17 SC Freiburg II *
Regionalliga Südwest The Regionalliga Südwest ('Regional League Southwest') is the fourth tier of the German football league system in the states of Hesse, Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland. It is one of five leagues at this level, together with t ...
:
2020–21 The dash is a punctuation mark consisting of a long horizontal line. It is similar in appearance to the hyphen but is longer and sometimes higher from the baseline. The most common versions are the endash , generally longer than the hyphen ...
SC Freiburg *
DFB-Pokal The DFB-Pokal (), also known as the German Cup in English language, English, is a German knockout Association football, football cup competition held annually by the German Football Association (DFB). Sixty-four teams participate in the competiti ...
runner-up: 2021–22 Individual *
Premier League Save of the Month The Premier League Save of the Month is an association football award that recognises the goalkeeper deemed to have made the best Premier League save in each month of the season from August to April. For sponsorship purposes, it was called the C ...
: February 2024


References


External links


Mark Flekken
at the
Royal Dutch Football Association The Royal Dutch Football Association (, ; KNVB ) is the governing body of football in the Netherlands. It organises the main Dutch football leagues ( Eredivisie and Eerste Divisie), the amateur leagues, the KNVB Cup, and the Dutch men's and w ...

Mark Flekken
at
Brentford F.C. Brentford Football Club is a professional association football club based in Brentford, England. The team competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. Nicknamed "The Bees", the club was founded in 1889 and played home matc ...
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Flekken, Mark 1993 births Living people Footballers from Kerkrade Dutch men's footballers Men's association football goalkeepers Roda JC Kerkrade players Alemannia Aachen players SpVgg Greuther Fürth players SpVgg Greuther Fürth II players MSV Duisburg players SC Freiburg players Brentford F.C. players Bayer 04 Leverkusen players Bundesliga players 2. Bundesliga players 3. Liga players Regionalliga players Premier League players Netherlands men's international footballers Dutch expatriate men's footballers Dutch expatriate sportspeople in England Dutch expatriate sportspeople in Germany Expatriate men's footballers in England Expatriate men's footballers in Germany UEFA Euro 2024 players 21st-century Dutch sportsmen