Dennis Aogo (born 14 January 1987) is a German former professional footballer who played as a left-back and midfielder.[ Watford reportedly chase out-of-contract Dennis Aogo with the Schalke 04 defender due to leave this month‚ watfordobserver.co.uk,
]5 June 2017
Early life
Born to a German mother and a Nigerian father, Aogo grew up in Oberreut, a suburb in the south-west of Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg. In 2000, when his parents split up, he moved with his father to
Bruchsal and left
Karlsruher SC to join
Waldhof Mannheim. In 2002, aged 15, he joined
SC Freiburg and attended their youth academy while graduating with
Mittlere Reife at Max-Weber-Schule in
Freiburg.
Club career
Aogo played with the
Karlsruher SC academy and has played at several youth levels including the U15s and U16s. Since 2004, he was a part of the
SC Freiburg academy, and celebrated his debut in the
Bundesliga at seventeen years of age and he immediately won himself a place in the centre of midfield.
Aogo joined signed at Bundesliga club Hamburger SV in 2008 and was part of the regular starting lineup, mostly as a left back.
On 9 August 2017, Aogo moved to VfB Stuttgart.
On 3 September 2019, Hannover 96 announced the signing of Aogo on a free transfer.
Aogo announced his retirement from playing in August 2020.
International career
Aogo was a member of the German U21 squad. Due to
FIFA regulations at the time he was prevented from representing the Nigeria national team having earlier represented Germany at youth and at age group levels.
But in 2004, FIFA removed the age limit for switching of nationalities, meaning that Aogo could have represented Nigeria.
However, after turning down several invitations by the Nigerian Football Association he declared his desire to continue representing Germany as he saw a good chance to earn a place in the German senior squad in the future.
Nigeria, the homeland of Aogo's father, wanted to call him up for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa as
Shaibu Amodu watched him for a considerable time
but Aogo announced on 5 January 2010 that he would only play for the Germany national team. He made his debut for Germany in their first preparation game against Malta in a 3–0 victory on 13 May 2010, playing 79 minutes, before being replaced by fellow full-back and then Hamburg club mate Jérôme Boateng. Aogo was included in Germany's 2010 FIFA World Cup squad.
He won his last cap in early June 2013.
Style of play
Germany national youth coach
Horst Hrubesch said about Aogo that he had "a very good left foot, is clever with or without the ball at his feet, tactically flexible on the football pitch, and can cross and pass through good diagonal balls to forwards".
Personal life
Aogo was previously engaged to Alessia Walch, the bass player for German
country-pop band Mayor's Destiny.
Aogo received the Silbernes Lorbeerblatt in 2010, the highest sports award in Germany.
Career statistics
Club
| + Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |
|
|
| SC Freiburg | 2004–05 | Bundesliga | 1 |
2005–06 | 2. Bundesliga | 6 |
2006–07 | 0 |
2007–08 | 4 |
|
| Hamburger SV | 2008–09 | Bundesliga | 0 |
2009–10 | 0 |
2010–11 | 0 |
2011–12 | 1 |
2012–13 | 2 |
2013–14 | 0 |
|
| Schalke 04 | 2013–14 | Bundesliga | 0 |
2014–15 | 1 |
2015–16 | 0 |
2016–17 | 2 |
|
| VfB Stuttgart | 2017–18 | Bundesliga | 0 |
2018–19 | 0 |
|
| Hannover 96 | 2019–20 | 2. Bundesliga | 0 |
|
International
| + Appearances and goals by national team and year |
|
| Germany | 0 | |
| 0 |
| 0 |
| 0 |
|
Honours
Germany U21
-
UEFA European Under-21 Championship: 2009
Germany
-
FIFA World Cup third place: 2010
Individual
-
Silbernes Lorbeerblatt: 2010
External links
