Sebastian Schonlau (born 5 August 1994) is a German 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 defender or

defensive midfielder In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. ...

for and

captains Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

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

Hamburger SV Hamburger Sport-Verein e.V. (), commonly known as Hamburger SV () or Hamburg (), or HSV (), is a German sports club based in Hamburg, with its largest branch being its Association football, football department. Though the current HSV was founde ...

Early life

Scholau was born on 5 August 1994 in Warburg. He used to live

Paderborn Paderborn (; Westphalian language, Westphalian: ''Patterbuorn'', also ''Paterboärn'') is a city in eastern North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, capital of the Paderborn (district), Paderborn district. The name of the city derives from the river Pade ...

, and started studying economics in the city starting October 2014.

Career

SC Paderborn

2012–14: Youth team

Schonlau received a professional contract from 2. Bundesliga club

SC Paderborn 07 Sport-Club Paderborn 07 e.V., commonly known as simply SC Paderborn 07 () or SC Paderborn, is a Football in Germany, German association football club based in Paderborn, North Rhine-Westphalia. The club has enjoyed its greatest success since the ...

in December 2012 that would expire in June 2015, with an option for another year, despite his old club SC Warburg 08 wanting to let him go in that time for his stature and weight. At the end of the 2012–13 season, Schonlau made bench appearances in matches against

Dynamo Dresden Sportgemeinschaft Dynamo Dresden e.V., commonly known as SG Dynamo Dresden or Dynamo Dresden, is a German association football club based in Dresden, Saxony.Grüne, Hardy (2001). Enzyklopädie des deutschen Ligafußballs 7. Vereinslexikon. Kasse ...

and

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 ...

, though, was not subbed on in any of these matches. In the following season, Schonlau made more bench appearances, though, was not brought on just like the previous season.

2014–15: Loan to SC Verl

Before the 2014–15 season, Schonlau extended his contract to 30 June 2016, and was loaned to

SC Verl SC Verl is a German association football club based in Verl, North Rhine-Westphalia. The club was founded on 6 September 1924, and since 1970 has consistently played in the higher echelons of amateur football. The club was promoted to the profe ...

for the 2014–15 season to gain more experience. He made his debut in a 1–2 win playing in defensive midfield against the second team of Borussia Mönchengladbach. During the season, Schonlau had several minor injuries, which lessed his opportunities in playing with the team.

2015–2021: First team

Once Schonlau returned to Paderborn, he made his debut in the 84th minute in a 1–2 win against

Fortuna Düsseldorf Düsseldorfer Turn- und Sportverein Fortuna 1895 e.V., commonly known as Fortuna Düsseldorf (), is a Football in Germany, German football club based in Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, that competes in the 2. Bundesliga. Founded in 1895, Fo ...

, coming on for

Mahir Sağlık Mahir Sağlık (born 18 January 1983) is a Turkish former professional Association football, footballer who played as a Forward (association football), striker. Career Sağlık signed a three-year deal for VfL Wolfsburg in September 2008. On ...

Hamburger SV

On 17 May 2021, Schonlau signed a three-year contract to join fellow 2. Bundesliga team

on a free, and was the club's first transfer for the 2021–22 season. Around a month later in July, he was named captain (thus making previous captain

Tim Leibold Tim Leibold (born 30 November 1993) is a German professional footballer who plays left-back for Major League Soccer club Sporting Kansas City. He began his career with VfB Stuttgart before joining 1. FC Nürnberg in 2015, where he experienced hi ...

vice-captain), and first wore the captain's armband in a match against

FC Basel Fussball Club Basel 1893, widely known as FC Basel, FCB, or just Basel, is a Swiss professional Association football, football club based in Basel, in the Basel-Stadt, Canton of Basel-Stadt. Formed in 1893, the club has been List of Swiss footba ...

. In the 2023–24 season, Schonlau suffered a calf injury in a match against SV Elversberg and was subbed off on the 74th minute, subsequently limiting his opportunities for that season.

Career statistics

Sebastian Schonlau
at Soccerway

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Schonlau, Sebastian 1994 births Living people Men's association football midfielders German men's footballers SC Verl players SC Paderborn 07 players Hamburger SV players Bundesliga players 2. Bundesliga players 3. Liga players Regionalliga players 21st-century German sportsmen