Lewis Holtby Biography

Lewis Holtby nationality

is German and probably you are familiar with the fact that the Germans are very disciplined and strong on the pitch. Gary Lineker the former professional footballer stated about the German footballers: “Football is a simple game; 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans win.”

The same goes for the Holtby as well. The footballer is very talented on the pitch with a unique style of play. Over the years he established himself as a professional player and came a long way. In this article, we will walk you through the notable events of Lewis Holtby life story. Join us in this journey and find out details about Lewis Holtby biography.

Details About Lewis Holtby Biography You Probably Didn’t Know 

Holtby made a name for himself over the years and improved his style of play while turning into a professional footballer. Upon his signing with Hamburger, van der Vaart praised the footballer and stated: “Lewis Holtby is a really good player. We need players like him,” the Hamburg captain further added, “He is technically good but also good at tackling. I feel that Holtby will be an important player for Hamburg this season.”

Lewis Holtby Information

Before we get into the details of

Lewis Holtby childhood

and early life we will fill you in with the details of his bio and other information.  

Lewis Holtby Bio

• Full name: Lewis Harry Holtby

• Nickname: Fritz

Personal information

• Lewis Holtby date of birth: 18 September 1990 (age 30)

• Zodiac sign: Virgo

• Place of birth: Erkelenz, West Germany

• Lewis Holtby religion: Christian

• Father’s name: Chris Holtby

• Mother’s name: Heidi Holtby

• Siblings: Joshua Holtby

• Lewis Holtby Nationality: English- German

• Marital status: married

• Wife’s name: Aylin Holtby

Body Measurements

• Hair color: Blonde

• Eye Color: Blue

• Height: 176 cm

• Weight: 72 kg

Football Information

• Position: Midfielder

• Debut in profession: Alemannia Aachen (2007)                        

• Clubs served: Schalke 04, VfL Bochum (loan), Mainz 05 (loan), Tottenham Hotspur, Fulham (loan), Hamburger SV (loan), Hamburger SV, Blackburn Rovers                                              

Lewis Holtby Early Life

Lewis Holtby was born on 18 September 1990 in Erkelenz, West Germany. According to

Lewis Holtby date of birth

, his zodiac sign is Virgo. The footballer was born to a German mother and a British father. His father Christopher used to serve in the Royal Air Force and he was also a true football fan. As a child Holtby grew in a football-loving environment and he dreamed of one day becoming a professional footballer. Joshua, Holtby’s younger brother is also a footballer. He served for the MVV Maastricht and currently he plays for the Preußen Munster in Germany's Regionalliga West.

As a child Holtby was passionate about football and he played the game almost 24/7. He joined the academy of Gladbach in his early years. So did his brother, Joshua. As a child, his father used to call him Fritz. Holtby stated: “He started calling me 'Fritz', Every time I had a good game, 'Great game, Fritz'. I got used to that name, the typical English humor, I loved it.” When Germany defeated England 4-1 back in the 2010 world cup, Holtby along with his father they watched the game. The footballer recalled: “I was just sitting there saying nothing. He was nearly crying.”

Lewis Holtby Profile

Over the years the footballer came a long way and established himself as a professional player. Based on

Lewis Holtby bio

, he plays as a Midfielder. We will walk you through all the details about Holtby’s career in different clubs in the following. Stay tuned and let’s begin.

Early Career

Holtby started playing football professionally while he was four years old for the amateur club Sparta Gerderath. His father used to play for the same club prior to his contract with Borussia Mönchengladbach when he was 11-years old. Later he went on and joined Gladbach’s academy however the club let him go in 2004 due to the fact he was too small and not fast enough to be a professional footballer. But none of these reasons stopped the player from working hard to fulfill his dream. At the age of 14, Holtby signed with Alemannia Aachen in the second tier of German football.

Aachen 

Holtby spent three years at

academy and later signed a professional contract with the side during the 2007-08 season. In December 2007, the footballer earned his debut by caretaker manager Jorg Schmadtke while he was 17 years old. He replaced Mirko Casper in a 2-2 draw with FC St. Pauli. He only made two appearances that season and the second one was a 3-1 loss to TuS Koblenz on the last matchday of the campaign. The next season the newly appointed manager Jürgen Seeberger gave him a new position on the left wing.

Holtby settled well in his new position as he scored his first goal for the club on 8 December 2008 over 1860 Munich. The next year in February he grabbed a brace in a 6-2 thrashing of Nürnberg. He scored eight goals for the side that season as Aachen finished in fourth place and missed a spot in the promotion playoffs. Holtby’s great performance didn’t go unnoticed by football pundits and he was awarded the Gold Fritz Walter Medal for the best German U19 player in 2009, ahead of runners-up Konstantin Rausch and

.

Schalke 04

Holtby’s great performance for Aachen drew attention from different clubs and made them eager to sign a contract with him. The winner of the battle was Schalke as they signed a four-year contract with the talented player in July 2008, for the estimated amount of €2.5 million. He was given his debut for the club by manager Felix Magath on 1 August 2009. Later Holtby was loaned to the Bundesliga club Bochum in January. Find out more details about Lewis Holtby biography in the following.

Loan to Bochum

At the end of January 2010, the footballer went on and joined Bochum. He debuted for the side on 6 February in a 1-1 draw with

. Holtby managed to make an assist for Zlatko Dedic's equalizing goal. He scored his first goal for the side in a 4-1 loss to Dortmund. However, he parted ways with the club at the end of the season, following the club’s relegation. Once he returned to his mother club Holtby was loaned to Mainz.

Holtby Admires Thomas Tuchel 

At the time Holtby served at Mainz he formed a powerful partnership with Adam Szalai and Andre Schurrle. They played under the supervision of the German manager Thomas Tuchel. Their great teamwork led the club to seven consecutive victories in the beginning of the season. At the time Holtby played for the side they got qualified for the UEFA Europa League ahead of his former club Schalke. Holtby is full of praise for Thomas Tuchel and admires him for his great techniques.

In an interview he stated: “I only have praise for him. He's a very passionate guy, he's someone who has a lot of fire in his belly but I think you need that in the job to improve everyone. At Mainz I think we had already qualified for Europe. Before preparing for the last game at the end of the season, he was that determined to finish in the fifth position that the whole week, even though the game was against my parent club Schalke and we had already qualified for Europe, he battered me for that whole week.

He further explained: “So he literally stood next to me and gave me stick the whole week, which was to keep me on my toes. To not be satisfied with the great game I had. At that point I was like 'why he is on me? I can't believe it, I just had a good game' but thinking about it in the aftermath I understand why he done it, he wanted to keep me focused and maintain, not being satisfied with having a good game by telling his players that it doesn't stop here. And that sticks with me, in my head.” Stay tuned for more details about

Lewis Holtby biography

.

Tottenham Hotspur

Later Holtby decided to return to Schalke but he didn’t stay long at the club. He managed to record his career-best tally by aiming the net for nine goals in 41 appearances. In the next season, the footballer declared that he no longer is interested in extending his contract. Holtby remarkable performance drew the attention of premier league club

. He went on and joined the Spurs in July 2013 and debuted for the side on 18 January and while scoring a goal in a 5-4 win against

.

Upon his arrival at the club Holtby stated: “When I was a lad, I used to sit with my dad in front of the TV and long to play there (in England). This chance has now arrived, and I have taken it.” Following the acute injury of Sandro Tottenham reached an agreement with Schalke to fast-track Holtby's transfer to January.

Loan to Fulham 

On 31 January 2014, Holtby switched to

on a loan. At the beginning of his arrival at the club he declared in an interview with Fulham’s official website that he was determined to help the club survive relegation. Holtby debuted for the side in a 3-0 defeat at home to Southampton while playing the entire 90 minutes. During his time with Fulham, Holtby once again played under the supervision of his former manager at

, Felix Magath.

Holtby made some negative comments about the management of Magath and he stated that he finally survived his methods. Following the manager’s decision to loan the footballer out on two occasions at Schalke, Holtby held animosity toward him. However, the footballer stated that he was only surprised by the manager’s decision and denied any hard feelings. In May, Holtby aimed the net for his first goal in a 3-1 loss to Cardiff City. At the end of the season Fulham was relegated.

Hamburger SV

For the 2014-15 season, Holtby was loaned to Hamburger SV. On 1 July 2015, the club decided to make his contract permanent. On 29 August 2015, Holtby scored his first goal for the club in a 2-1 defeat by Köln. Later he scored in a 3-1 victory against Dortmund in November, as Hamburg improved to end the campaign in the tenth position. Holtby was given the first red card of his career in a 1-0 victory over Augsburg as he made a violent move against Dominik Kohr. He was suspended for two games. Find out more details about

Lewis Holtby biography

in the following.

Blackburn Rovers

On 19 September 2019, Holtby reached an agreement with Championship side Blackburn Rovers. He debuted for the side replacing one of his teammates in the second half of a 2–1 win against Reading. The following month he scored his first goal for the club in a 2-2 draw with Huddersfield Town. Later he grabbed a brace as the club recorded its biggest league win since 2001 in a 5-0 win against Sheffield Wednesday. In February, Holtby sustained a lateral ligament injury during a 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough. At the end of the 2020-21 season, Holtby parted ways with the club.

Holstein Kiel

On 17 August, the footballer reached an agreement with Holstein Kiel.

International Career 

Holtby’s father is originally British and this made him eligible to play both for Germany and England national teams. Eventually the midfielder decided to play for Germany the country of his birth. In an interview Holtby stated: “I always had an England shirt because of dad. I got England shirts for Christmas from my family. In the 2006 World Cup we stood with 40,000 English people on a bridge in Cologne and watched a public viewing of

vs

. England never really called me up. There was press speculation but I had no requests and my decision was made.

He further explained: “I didn’t want to betray my country. But I always came to England for Christmas and holidays, though. My nan is in Bedford, an uncle in Wimbledon. There are a lot of Holtbys all over England – Norwich, Birmingham, Hexham.” Holtby made his debut for the under 19 team back in 2008 and earned 12 caps. On 11 October 2008, the footballer managed to score his first international goal in a 5-0 win against Lithuania. In the Under 20 World Cup he grabbed a brace and one of his goals was over eventual runners-up Brazil in the quarter-finals.

In 2013, he captained the team in the European Under-21 Championship in Israel and was named as the nation's only representative in the Team of the Tournament. On the senior level, he debuted in a friendly game over Sweden on 17 November 2010. Later he earned a man of the match award for his great performance. The following year the footballer made his second appearance for Germany replacing Thomas Muller in a 3-1 UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying victory against Azerbaijan. The German midfielder prevented himself from playing for England on the international level in terms of the FIFA eligibility rules.

Style of Play 

Lewis Holtby features on the right side of the midfield and the left side as a false nine and an attacking midfielder behind a lone striker. In an interview he stated about his position: “I think that's my position. I always said that I'm a centre midfielder. I'm not really a false nine or a right winger. I don't think I'm really a No.10 anymore. I think I'm more of an eight.”

He further explained: “I see myself as a central midfield player who can get on the ball, someone who can play a pass and can run up and down the field. I can produce something; I don't shy away from the ball.” Some of the football pundits believe that when it comes to defense Holtby doesn’t perform well. He is a powerful player with strong performance however there are some flaws in his style of play. Learn more details about Lewis Holtby biography in the following.

Reception 

On 1 April 2017, while Holtby played for

he made his 300th senior career appearance and made history with a winning goal in the extra time as the game was a 2-1 win for Hamburger against Koln. Holtby earned a man of the match award for his remarkable performance. One of the most memorable moments of the midfielder was when he aimed the net in the 100th minute of a 4-1 victory against Koln.

On the international level, Germany went on and faced Sweden. Although it was a goalless draw, the manager Joachim Loew was proud of the team’s performance and he praised Lewis Holtby for his strong appearance. Following the game, the manager stated about Holtby: “I had already seen in training that Holtby likes to take on responsibility. He always asked for the ball, and that was good.” Stay tuned for more details about Lewis Holtby biography.

Goal Celebration 

When it comes to celebrating goals, Holtby runs in joy with open arms and slides on the grass.

Lewis Holtby Outside Football

As for Holtby life outside football, the footballer is a family guy. He also is an outdoor person who loves to travel and explore nature. Just with a quick look at his Instagram account, you can find out all about his daily routine. The midfielder is also a hard-working athlete who works out almost every day. Find out details about

Lewis Holtby life story

in the following.

Lewis Holtby Personal Life

They say behind every successful man there is a woman. The same goes for Lewis Holtby as well. The footballer is married to the stunning Aylin Holtby. The couple dated for a long time before saying their vows. In November 2019, Holtby posted a photo of himself along with his bride and captioned: “Let’s go MRS. Holtby.” They got married in a simple wedding ceremony attended by their family and close friends. Holtby shares a great bond with Aylin and they have great a relationship together.

Family, Children and Relationships  

Lewis Holtby religion

is Christian. In June 2020, he posted a photo along with Aylin and captioned: “Can’t wait to hold you in my hands…family is growing soon! Another Holtby is on the way.” The footballer shared the news of his girlfriend's pregnancy with the fans. On October 10, 2020, the couple’s first child was born. A baby girl named Hailey. Holtby shared the news via a post on Instagram and captioned: “Love has a different meaning after birth, proud of my two beautiful ladies.”

Philanthropy

So far, the footballer hasn’t done any charity work.

Legal issues

So far Holtby hasn’t faced any legal issues in his career.

Lewis Holtby Career Statistics

Holtby is a determined player with extraordinary performance on the pitch. He has served in different clubs during his career and managed to make a name for himself as a talented Midfielder. We have gathered all the details about his spells in the clubs and the number of goals and appearances he made for them. Find out all the details in the following.

Club 

On club level the footballer joined Alemannia Aachen for the 2007-08 season. He stayed at the club for two seasons while making 35 appearances and scoring 8 goals for the side. In 2009, Holtby reached agreement with Schalke 04 and signed a contract. He stayed in the club for three

seasons and made 79 appearances while scoring 13 goals. Then Holtby joined VfL Bochum on a loan for only one season and featured in 14 games while scoring two goals. Later once again he joined another club on a loan.

He made 32 appearances for

while scoring 6 goals for the side. In 2012, Tottenham Hotspur showed interest in signing a contract with Holtby. He featured in three premier league seasons with the club and overall played in 42 games while scoring 3 goals for the Spurs. Then he switched to Fulham on a loan and featured in 13 games while aiming the net only for one goal. For the 2014-15 season Holtby was loaned to Hamburger SV.

He made 25 appearances that season but didn’t score any goals. The next season the club officially signed a contract with Holtby and he stayed there for four Bundesliga seasons. Overall, he made 112 appearances for the club while scoring 15 goals. In 2019, Holtby joined Championship side Blackburn Rovers. He remained at the club for two seasons and made 56 appearances while aiming the net for 4 goals. Stay tuned for more details about

Lewis Holtby biography

.

International

On international level overall Holtby made 3 appearances for Germany national team.

Lewis Holtby Honors

Over the years Holtby came a long way and he managed to make a name for himself as a professional footballer. We have listed all the achievements and honors of Holtby. Stay tuned and learn all the details in the following.

Schalke

• DFL-Supercup: 2011

Individual

• Gold U19 Fritz Walter Medal: 2009[4]

• UEFA European Under-21 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2013

Records

• Latest Bundesliga goal: 100th minute, against 1. FC Köln on 25 August 2017

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