Heiko Westermann

Heiko Westermann (born 14 August 1983 in Alzenau, Bavaria) is a Germany association football who plays as Defender (association football) for FC Schalke 04 and Germany national football team. Westermann is known for Heiko Westermann good all-round abilities and goal scoring. Heiko Westermann is a versatile player who can play any defensive position and has also played as a midfielder on occasion.

Club career

Greuther Fürth

Westermann began Heiko Westermann professional career with 2. Fußball-Bundesliga club SpVgg Greuther Fürth. Heiko Westermann joined the senior squad in July 2002 but didn't make Heiko Westermann first appearance until 26 January 2003 in a 1–0 win over MSV Duisburg. Heiko Westermann played a total of 92 games in Heiko Westermann three seasons with the club, scoring five goals.

Arminia Bielefeld

Following the Second Fußball-Bundesliga 2004–05, Westermann signed for recently promoted Fußball-Bundesliga club Arminia Bielefeld. In Heiko Westermann first season Heiko Westermann played in every single game for Bielefeld, including 34 league and five DFB-Pokal matches. The following season Westermann remained an integral part of the team, missing only one match.

Schalke 04

Heiko Westermann was transferred to FC Schalke 04 in 2007 for a fee of €2.8 million. Heiko Westermann played Heiko Westermann first game for Schalke on 24 July in a DFB-Ligapokal fixture against 1. FC Nuremberg. Schalke won 4–2 with Westermann contributing one goal. Missing Schalke's first two league games through injury, Westermann made Heiko Westermann Fußball-Bundesliga debut for the club on 26 August 2007. Heiko Westermann was substituted on in the 79th minute for Rafinha in a third round match against VfL Wolfsburg. For the remainder of the season, Westermann started all 31 of Schalkes Bundesliga matches. Heiko Westermann was also instrumental in Schalke's UEFA Champions League campaign, being the only outfield player for the club to play every single minute.

With new coach Fred Rutten taking charge of Schalke for the Fußball-Bundesliga 2008–09, combined with Heiko Westermann keen eye for goal, Westermann has often been positioned in midfield. The current season has been Westermanns highest scoring yet. Heiko Westermann scored both goals in a 2–0 DFB-Pokal win over Hannover 96. Heiko Westermann also scored a goal in three consecutive Bundesliga matches including the equalizing goal in a 1–1 draw against SV Werder Bremen and a game winning goal against VfL Bochum.

National team

Westermann played Heiko Westermann first match for the Germany national football team in February 2008 against Austria national football team. Germany won the match 3-0. Westermann was part of the Germany national football team that finished in second place at UEFA Euro 2008. Heiko Westermann has since played a total of ten games for Germany. On 2 June 2009, Westermann scored the first goal in Germany's 7–2 rout against United Arab Emirates national football team.