DFB.de regularly introduces a first team player, who is facing a special week. Today: André Hahn, who will play away at Apollon Limassol with Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Europa League this evening (19:00 CET) and on Sunday faces Borussia Dortmund (17:30 CET) in the Bundesliga.
André Hahn is continuing a family tradition but at the same time, he is completely different from all the rest of the family. The football professional makes his living by using his legs – two legs instead of four. His ancestors bred and trained horses and André grew up on the family farm Blink in the small town of Otterndorf near Cuxhaven with the four-legged animals. However, young André was more into football than horses. He always had the dream of playing in the Bundesliga one day, remembers his father Andreas Hahn: “Everything he has achieved in football is a result of hard work. He isn’t exactly the most gifted technical player.”
“I can still improve”
Hahn’s willpower and determination has seen him establish himself as a permanent fixture in the Bundesliga. He’s an important part of the quick style of play that Gladbach are displaying so successfully at the moment. Hahn has made an appearance in all ten games so far this season, scoring three goals in the league. He also bagged goals in the DFB Cup game with Homburg and in the Europa League qualification round.
Hahn recently made a verdict after his first 100 days with Borussia in an October issue of the Rheinischen Post: “It’s been very, very positive so far. I’ve improved in tactical and technical areas,” claims Hahn. “But there’s still room for me to improve. I always want to learn and pick up new things. The manager knows that. That’s also one of the reasons I came here, because the manager is known for making players improve.”
Decision to end his football career
The always hard-working Hahn made his international debut in May in Hamburg, completing a fairy-tale story of a late bloomer, who prevailed despite all resistance. For now at least, as the right winger intends to add several more chapters to his story before it concludes. It all started at André’s local club TSV Otterndorf, before he moved on to bigger clubs further north – LTS Bremerhaven, Rot-Weiss Cuxhaven and FC Bremerhaven.
Eventually, the biggest club of them all in the north became aware of his talent: Hamburger SV. Hahn played for HSV’s U19 team and their reserves but failed to make a breakthrough, resulting in his contract being ended. He fled to FC Oberneuland, close to Bremen, where he lived off 200 euros a month, as the club wasn’t able to pay higher wages. “I always bought the cheapest water and frozen pizza at the supermarket,” Hahn told the Bild. Hahn decided to end his football career and start an apprenticeship at the local insurance office in Otterndorf. He terminated his contract with FC Oberneuland.
Sander: “He’s the best player I’ve ever coached”
He gave himself one last chance to make it in professional football and joined third division side TuS Koblenz. A happy ending was still nowhere in sight, as Koblenz withdrew their team due to financial problems after Hahn’s first season with them. Koblenz manager Petrik Sander recommended Hahn to Kickers Offenbach, saying: “He’s the best player I’ve ever coached.”
World Champion Stefan Reuter picked up on Hahn’s qualities and believed he could make it in the Bundesliga, signing him for FC Augsburg. Hahn’s market value continued to rise and while he was still a long way off the likes of Marco Reus, Mario Götze or Toni Kroos, he no longer had to live off of cheap water and frozen pizzas. His stint in Augsburg was short and sweet. He became the first player from FCA since Helmut Haller to play for Germany. He thought he was being pranked when Germany’s assistant manager at the time, Hansi Flick, gave him a call, that he recalled in an interview with Süddeutsche Zeitung. After realising it was the real deal, his whole body began to shake. “If you look at how I’ve got here, then you will know that this is something very special for me.”
DFB.de regularly introduces a first team player, who is facing a special week. Today: André Hahn, who will play away at Apollon Limassol with Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Europa League this evening (19:00 CET) and on Sunday faces Borussia Dortmund (17:30 CET) in the Bundesliga.
André Hahn is continuing a family tradition but at the same time, he is completely different from all the rest of the family. The football professional makes his living by using his legs – two legs instead of four. His ancestors bred and trained horses and André grew up on the family farm Blink in the small town of Otterndorf near Cuxhaven with the four-legged animals. However, young André was more into football than horses. He always had the dream of playing in the Bundesliga one day, remembers his father Andreas Hahn: “Everything he has achieved in football is a result of hard work. He isn’t exactly the most gifted technical player.”
“I can still improve”
Hahn’s willpower and determination has seen him establish himself as a permanent fixture in the Bundesliga. He’s an important part of the quick style of play that Gladbach are displaying so successfully at the moment. Hahn has made an appearance in all ten games so far this season, scoring three goals in the league. He also bagged goals in the DFB Cup game with Homburg and in the Europa League qualification round.
Hahn recently made a verdict after his first 100 days with Borussia in an October issue of the Rheinischen Post: “It’s been very, very positive so far. I’ve improved in tactical and technical areas,” claims Hahn. “But there’s still room for me to improve. I always want to learn and pick up new things. The manager knows that. That’s also one of the reasons I came here, because the manager is known for making players improve.”
Decision to end his football career
The always hard-working Hahn made his international debut in May in Hamburg, completing a fairy-tale story of a late bloomer, who prevailed despite all resistance. For now at least, as the right winger intends to add several more chapters to his story before it concludes. It all started at André’s local club TSV Otterndorf, before he moved on to bigger clubs further north – LTS Bremerhaven, Rot-Weiss Cuxhaven and FC Bremerhaven.
Eventually, the biggest club of them all in the north became aware of his talent: Hamburger SV. Hahn played for HSV’s U19 team and their reserves but failed to make a breakthrough, resulting in his contract being ended. He fled to FC Oberneuland, close to Bremen, where he lived off 200 euros a month, as the club wasn’t able to pay higher wages. “I always bought the cheapest water and frozen pizza at the supermarket,” Hahn told the Bild. Hahn decided to end his football career and start an apprenticeship at the local insurance office in Otterndorf. He terminated his contract with FC Oberneuland.
Sander: “He’s the best player I’ve ever coached”
He gave himself one last chance to make it in professional football and joined third division side TuS Koblenz. A happy ending was still nowhere in sight, as Koblenz withdrew their team due to financial problems after Hahn’s first season with them. Koblenz manager Petrik Sander recommended Hahn to Kickers Offenbach, saying: “He’s the best player I’ve ever coached.”
World Champion Stefan Reuter picked up on Hahn’s qualities and believed he could make it in the Bundesliga, signing him for FC Augsburg. Hahn’s market value continued to rise and while he was still a long way off the likes of Marco Reus, Mario Götze or Toni Kroos, he no longer had to live off of cheap water and frozen pizzas. His stint in Augsburg was short and sweet. He became the first player from FCA since Helmut Haller to play for Germany. He thought he was being pranked when Germany’s assistant manager at the time, Hansi Flick, gave him a call, that he recalled in an interview with Süddeutsche Zeitung. After realising it was the real deal, his whole body began to shake. “If you look at how I’ve got here, then you will know that this is something very special for me.”
Hahn’s first inclusion in the Germany squad was for the friendly with Chile in March 2014 and during the 0-0 draw with Poland in Hamburg, he made his debut appearance. In the Bundesliga, he kept on the move as well, joining Borussia Mönchengladbach, where he is now playing international football and establishing Gladbach as a top Bundesliga side. André Hahn has overcome all hurdles that were put in his way – following in the good old traditions of his family.
