They are not yet allowed to drive a car themselves. Professional football does. Kennet Eichhorn and Dion Hofmeister could meet directly in the cup duel between Hertha and Kaiserslautern. At 16 years old.
Great football story and in the middle of it two 16 year old teenagers who are currently conquering the professional stage. When Hertha BSC meets 1. FC Kaiserslautern in the round of 16 of the DFB Cup on Tuesday (December 2nd, 2025), tradition and future will collide.
With Berlin’s Kennet Eichhorn and Dion Hofmeister from FCK, the two youngest players in the history of the second division could have a unique direct duel. Both students, defensive midfielders and future hopes for their clubs.
Starting eleven guarantee: Eichhorn’s meteoric rise
While Hofmeister celebrated his second division debut in the 4-1 win against Kiel at the end of November at the age of 16 years, 4 months and 13 days, Eichhorn is already an old hand. In the summer, the youngster signed a long-term contract with Hertha. Shortly afterwards, at the age of 16 years and 14 days, he became the youngest player in second division history.
Four months later, Eichhorn is a regular player. Coach Leitl no longer asks himself whether his exceptional talent will play, but rather: who will line up next to him in the six-man position? “Kenny is an incredible talent”said Leitl after Eichhorn had played almost 90 minutes in Saturday’s 1-0 win against Kiel.
A little too much foul play
His dribbling dynamism, positioning and tactical approach are outstanding. The only drawback: too many fouls. “Maybe give yourself a heads up before the game so that he can get into the game a little better. Because it’s already the third yellow card in the opening phase.”warned Leitl.
No wonder that scouts from Bayern and Dortmund were recently sitting in the stands. Also Real Madrid and Manchester United should be interested in the mega talent. The hype is getting bigger every week. There is an agreement between the club, the parents and Eichhorn’s advisor that the 16-year-old will be left out of media activities for the time being.
Victory important for the box office
And above all: One would like to see Eichhorn in Berlin a little longer. The Blue-Whites have collected 1.5 million euros in the DFB cup so far this season. With a win there should be even more. For reaching the quarter-finals (February 3rd/4th and February 10th/11th) there is a further 1.7 million euros. It would be an additional windfall into the club’s cash-strapped coffers. Millions that Hertha could put to good use in order to be able to keep the super talent for even longer with a salary increase.
Dion Hofmeister – actually still a U17 player
Hofmeister still wants to go where Eichhorn is – in the starting eleven. After his debut against Kiel, the midfielder only experienced the 2-0 defeat in Braunschweig on Saturday from the reserve bench. Coach Torsten Lieberknecht still predicts a successful future for the U16 national player: “That was just the beginning of something that will hopefully develop very positively. If his environment remains just as stable, I am convinced that we can develop a really good player out of him.”
Hofmeister was born on July 11, 2009 in Neustadt an der Weinstraße and actually still plays in the U17 of the “Red Devils”. The defensive midfielder moved from 1. FC 08 Haßloch to Betzenberg in 2018. “He does really well when he trains with us”said FCK captain Marlon Ritter recently in a TV interview.
Protection of minors: Why does Hofmeister wear a special jersey?
When he made his debut at the end of November, Hofmeister was noticed not only because of his age – unlike his teammates, the teenager had to play in a special jersey without the sponsor on his chest. Lautern’s jersey sponsor is an organizer of virtual gaming machines – Hofmeister is not of legal age and is not allowed to advertise for the company.
The captain of the Lauterer U17 probably doesn’t care about the look of his jersey – after all, he wants to promote himself above all else. Maybe he will have his next chance on Tuesday. Because unlike Eichhorn, his use is open.