1. Overview
Christian Gentner (born August 14, 1985) is a German professional football official and a former player who primarily played as a midfielder. Known for his strong work ethic, leadership qualities, and consistent performances, Gentner spent the majority of his distinguished career with VfB Stuttgart, serving as club captain for several years and winning the Bundesliga title with them in 2007. He also achieved a second Bundesliga title with VfL Wolfsburg in 2009. After retiring as a player at the end of 2022, Gentner transitioned into a football official role, currently serving as the head of the professional player department at VfB Stuttgart, a testament to his enduring connection and commitment to the club.
2. Early Life and Youth Career
Christian Gentner was born on August 14, 1985, in Nürtingen, West Germany. Standing at 74 in (189 cm) tall and weighing 176 lb (80 kg), he began his footballing journey at a young age. He started his youth career in 1988 with TSV Beuren, where he played until 1998. Subsequently, he moved to VfL Kirchheim, playing there for one year from 1998 to 1999. In 1999, Gentner joined the youth academy of VfB Stuttgart, a club with which he would later spend a significant portion of his professional career. He developed through Stuttgart's youth system until 2004, preparing him for his senior debut. In addition to his club youth career, Gentner also represented the Germany U-20 team from 2004 to 2006, making 14 appearances and scoring 3 goals.
3. Club Career
Christian Gentner's professional club career spanned nearly two decades, marked by significant contributions to various German clubs and a brief stint in Switzerland. His career highlights include winning two Bundesliga titles and serving as a long-time captain.
3.1. Early Career and VfB Stuttgart (First Stint)
Gentner's senior career began at VfB Stuttgart II, the reserve team of VfB Stuttgart, in the Regionalliga Süd (third division). During the 2004-05 season, he made 28 appearances and scored six goals for the reserve squad. His strong performances earned him a call-up to the VfB Stuttgart senior team. He made his Bundesliga debut on February 20, 2005, in a 1-0 victory against Hertha BSC. Gentner scored his first goal for the senior team in a UEFA Cup match against NK Domžale on September 25, 2005. In 2006, recognizing his potential and contributions, VfB Stuttgart extended his contract until 2010. During this first stint, Gentner was part of the VfB Stuttgart squad that won the Bundesliga title in 2007, a significant early achievement in his career.
3.2. VfL Wolfsburg
On July 18, 2007, Gentner was loaned to VfL Wolfsburg until the summer of 2009. His performances during this loan spell led to VfL Wolfsburg signing him on a permanent deal on August 11, 2008. With VfL Wolfsburg, Gentner played a crucial role in the club's historic Bundesliga title triumph in the 2008-09 season, marking his second Bundesliga championship. He remained with Wolfsburg until his contract expired on July 1, 2010.
3.3. VfB Stuttgart (Second Stint)
After seeing out his contract with VfL Wolfsburg, Gentner made a return to his former club, VfB Stuttgart, on a free transfer on July 1, 2010, an agreement that had been announced on January 8, 2010. He quickly re-established himself as a key player for Stuttgart. On January 6, 2013, he extended his contract with the club until June 2016, with an option for an additional year. Following the departure of Serdar Tasci, Gentner was named the new club captain on September 9, 2013, a role he embraced with dedication and stability. In May 2016, he extended his contract again, this time until June 2019.
During his second spell at Stuttgart, Gentner experienced significant events, including a severe injury on September 16, 2017, in a match against VfL Wolfsburg. He suffered a collision with opposing goalkeeper Koen Casteels, which resulted in multiple fractures to his face, specifically his orbital bone, maxillary bone, and nasal bone. Despite the severity of the injury, Gentner demonstrated resilience and made a remarkable recovery, returning to play on November 17, 2017, in a match against Borussia Dortmund. In the 2016-17 season, Gentner captained VfB Stuttgart to win the 2. Bundesliga title, securing their promotion back to the top flight. On June 7, 2019, it was announced that Gentner would be leaving VfB Stuttgart upon the expiration of his contract, concluding a long and impactful tenure.
3.4. 1. FC Union Berlin
Following his departure from VfB Stuttgart, Christian Gentner signed a one-year contract with 1. FC Union Berlin on July 5, 2019. He contributed to the club's efforts during his time there, playing until June 2021.
3.5. FC Luzern and Retirement as a Player
In June 2021, Gentner moved to Switzerland, joining FC Luzern on a free transfer to play in the Swiss Super League. He played for the club for one season. In September 2022, Gentner officially announced his retirement from professional football, with his playing career concluding at the end of 2022.
4. International Career
Christian Gentner's international career saw him represent the Germany national team at the senior level. On May 19, 2009, he received his first call-up to the senior squad for their tour of Asia. He made his debut for the national team on May 29, 2009, in a match against the China national team. Gentner accumulated a total of five caps for the Germany national team until August 2010.
5. Post-Playing Career
Immediately following his retirement as a professional player at the end of 2022, Christian Gentner transitioned into a football official role. On January 1, 2023, he rejoined VfB Stuttgart in a new capacity, taking on the position of head of the professional player department. This role marks a new chapter in his career, allowing him to continue contributing to the sport and his long-time club from an administrative perspective.
6. Personal Life
Christian Gentner is part of a footballing family. His brother, Thomas Gentner, is also a footballer who plays for TuS Koblenz. A significant personal event occurred on December 15, 2018, when Gentner's father passed away at Stuttgart's stadium, shortly after VfB Stuttgart secured a 2-1 victory against Hertha BSC.
7. Career Statistics
Christian Gentner's professional career statistics are detailed below, showing his appearances and goals across various clubs and competitions.
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| VfB Stuttgart II | 2004-05 | Regionalliga Süd | 28 | 6 | - | - | - | 28 | 6 | |||
| 2006-07 | Regionalliga Süd | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | 2 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 30 | 6 | - | - | - | 30 | 6 | |||||
| VfB Stuttgart | 2004-05 | Bundesliga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 (UEFA Cup appearances) | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | |
| 2005-06 | Bundesliga | 23 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 (UEFA Cup appearances) | 1 | 2 (German League Cup appearances) | 0 | 33 | 2 | |
| 2006-07 | Bundesliga | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 16 | 0 | |||
| Total | 39 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 51 | 2 | ||
| VfL Wolfsburg | 2007-08 | Bundesliga | 31 | 3 | 5 | 1 | - | - | 36 | 4 | ||
| 2008-09 | Bundesliga | 34 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 8 (UEFA Cup appearances) | 1 | - | 45 | 6 | ||
| 2009-10 | Bundesliga | 34 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 12 (UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League appearances) | 3 | - | 48 | 7 | ||
| Total | 99 | 11 | 10 | 2 | 20 | 4 | - | 129 | 17 | |||
| VfB Stuttgart | 2010-11 | Bundesliga | 31 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 9 (UEFA Europa League appearances) | 3 | - | 42 | 8 | |
| 2011-12 | Bundesliga | 28 | 5 | 4 | 0 | - | - | 32 | 5 | |||
| 2012-13 | Bundesliga | 34 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 12 (UEFA Europa League appearances) | 2 | - | 52 | 9 | ||
| 2013-14 | Bundesliga | 28 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 3 (UEFA Europa League appearances) | 1 | - | 33 | 5 | ||
| 2014-15 | Bundesliga | 33 | 5 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 34 | 5 | |||
| 2015-16 | Bundesliga | 29 | 5 | 3 | 0 | - | - | 32 | 5 | |||
| 2016-17 | 2. Bundesliga | 34 | 6 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 36 | 7 | |||
| 2017-18 | Bundesliga | 27 | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 29 | 3 | |||
| 2018-19 | Bundesliga | 29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 2 (Bundesliga relegation play-offs appearances) | 1 | 32 | 1 | ||
| Total | 273 | 37 | 23 | 4 | 24 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 322 | 48 | ||
| Union Berlin | 2019-20 | Bundesliga | 31 | 3 | 3 | 1 | - | - | 34 | 4 | ||
| 2020-21 | Bundesliga | 22 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 23 | 0 | |||
| Total | 53 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 57 | 4 | ||
| FC Luzern | 2021-22 | Swiss Super League | 30 | 1 | 3 | 0 | - | - | 33 | 1 | ||
| Total | 30 | 1 | 3 | 0 | - | - | 33 | 1 | ||||
| Career total | 524 | 59 | 43 | 7 | 51 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 622 | 78 | ||
8. Honours
Christian Gentner achieved significant team and individual honours throughout his playing career.
- VfB Stuttgart
- Bundesliga: 2006-07
- 2. Bundesliga: 2016-17
- VfL Wolfsburg
- Bundesliga: 2008-09
- Individual
- Bundesliga Goal of the Month: August 2013