At the 1-1 draw against RB Leipzig at the start of the season, VfB Stuttgart thrilled their fans with heart and passion. The Swabian talent shed is the Bundesliga leader when it comes to youthfulness.
When referee Tobias Stieler kicked off the VfB game against Leipzig last Sunday at 3:30 p.m., Stuttgart had the youngest starting XI in the Bundesliga on the field: the average age of coach Pellegrino Matarazzo’s boys was just 24.0 years. Nobody was younger. For comparison: The starting eleven of FC Bayern, for example, was 27.3 years old, that of VfL Bochum as the oldest team on the first matchday even 30.0 years!
YouTube video from SWR Sport: “VfB Stuttgart scores a point against cup winners RB Leipzig at the start of the season – YOUR VfB #35 | SWR Sport”
Average age of VfB players against RB: 23.0 years
When referee Stieler blew the whistle against the Saxons shortly after 5:30 p.m., after enthusiastic enthusiasm and passion from VfB, Stuttgart was again significantly younger than at the beginning: the average age of the 16 VfB players played against RB Leipzig was just 23, 0 years, thanks to substitutes Churlinov (22), Mola (21), Millot (20), Perea (22) and Karazor (25).
At 29, captain Wataru Endo must have felt like a grandfather as the oldest player in the VfB rascals…
VfB Stuttgart is on average 23 years old
At the start of the season, VfL Wolfsburg ranked second behind VfB with an average age of 24.6 for all players. The other Southwest clubs Hoffenheim (25.8), Mainz (25.8) and Freiburg (25.9 years) were in the middle of the age table with similar numbers.
Sven Mislintats relies primarily on players who can develop
Stuttgart’s top position in this ranking is no coincidence. Since Sven Mislintat has been responsible for squad planning as sports director at VfB, targeted signings of young players with potential to develop have been the rule.
Before this season, three newcomers came with Josha Vagnoman (21) from Hamburger SV, the Colombian Juan Jose Perea (22) from Greece and Luca Pfeiffer (25) from Denmark, who certainly still have their best days as a footballer ahead of them. Whereby the ex-Darmstadt player Pfeiffer with his 25 years can almost be considered a “veteran” by VfB standards.
And even last winter, in the middle of the relegation crisis, Mislintat did not rely on age and experience on the transfer market, but brought a top talent from Lisbon with the Portuguese Tiago Tomas (then 19). The sports director was ultimately rewarded for his willingness to take risks with four Tomas goals in the second half of the season and VfB’s last-minute relegation.
And not only in terms of the first starting XI of the season, but also in terms of the entire squad, the Stuttgart team is on average the youngest in the Bundesliga at 23.1 years. Before Mainz 05 at 24.1 years.
Last season, VfB had the youngest team in the top five leagues
In the past 2021/22 season, VfB Stuttgart not only presented the youngest squad in the Bundesliga at the age of 23.4, but even from all teams in the five top leagues in Europe (Germany, England, Spain, Italy and France). La Spezia from Italy (23.5 years). In this context, it is extremely interesting that six clubs from the Bundesliga were represented among the ten youngest teams in the top leagues: in addition to Stuttgart, Leipzig, Leverkusen, Dortmund and the relegated Fürth and Bielefeld.
The trend is clear: the Bundesliga is getting younger and younger. More and more young people are causing a sensation.
Schalke 04 has held the Bundesliga youth record for 49 years
Incidentally, FC Schalke 04 holds the Bundesliga youth record. And has been for 49 years now. On March 31, 1973, the “Royal Blues” fielded the youngest starting eleven ever in the Bundesliga: In the 1-1 draw against Hertha BSC, Schalke’s average age was just 22 years and 32 days.
The oldest players that day were goalkeeper Norbert Nigbur and the Kremers twins (24 each). The then Schalke “kindergarten” was born out of necessity, however, because numerous stars such as Fichtel, Fischer or even the later VfB manager Rolf Rüssmann were suspended due to the Bundesliga scandal and had to be replaced by young talents.
Mainz 05 is historically the youngest in the southwest
Incidentally, the youngest Southwest team in the history of the Bundesliga so far was not led by VfB Stuttgart, but by Mainz 05: In the 0-0 draw against Hertha BSC on September 23, 2018, the average age of the Rheinhessen was 22 years and 285 days.
The next VfB talents are on the go
As far as VfB Stuttgart is concerned, fresh supplies have long been provided when it comes to youth: With U19 goalscorer Thomas Kastanaras and Laurin Ulrich from the VfB U17s, who is only 17 years old, the next great talents are already on their way to the Bundesliga.
