Felix Keidel: From the Elversberg bench to the Germany squad

While his father Ralf Keidel once collected nine international caps for the U‑21 and the Olympic team, 23‑year‑old Felix Keidel from Duisburg suddenly finds himself in the focus of the German national squad – after only four Bundesliga appearances for SV Elversberg he was called up by Jürgen Klopp for the Nations League.

Early Stages and Ingolstadt Statistics

Felix Keidel was born on 14 June 2003 in Duisburg and moved at the age of nine to FC Ingolstadt. There he played between 2022 and 2025 a total of 91 competitive matches for the first team, scored nine goals and provided 14 assists. His main position at the time was central midfield, although he was occasionally deployed as a full‑back. The information comes from Christian Kaspar‑Bartke.

In the summer of 2025 Keidel helped SV Elversberg to achieve promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time, playing mainly as a full‑back. In the second half of the season he however found himself on the bench, because Jan Gyamerah and Lasse Günther firmly occupied the full‑back positions. As the English headline asks: “Who is the new Germany call‑up starring for Elversberg?” In the official player profile the field Country is listed as Germany.

Breakthrough at Elversberg

An early presence goal by Freddy Schmahl in the pre‑season forced coach Vincent Wagner to deploy Keidel as a central midfielder. In friendly matches against Strasbourg and Lorient he impressed and took over the play‑making reins. At his club SV Elversberg he assumed the central role.

Since then he has made four Bundesliga appearances, of which Elversberg won two. Particularly impressive was his free‑kick strike from 1.30 metres against Borussia Mönchengladbach, which ended the match 3‑4.

“Felix Keidel is a central player. In Ingolstadt he was at times used as a full‑back, but fundamentally he is a central midfielder. Theoretically he is now coming home.” – Coach Vincent Wagner

National Breakthrough and Family Legacy

Because of his performance he received the invitation from Jürgen Klopp to strengthen the German national team for the upcoming UEFA Nations League matches. His path recalls Joshua Kimmich, who also started as a right‑back and later took over the central midfield.

“When I got the call from Jürgen Klopp, I was initially surprised. He said I could drop the formal ‘you’ – it is now ‘you’ and ‘Jürgen’. My parents and my girlfriend are overjoyed,” Keidel explained.

Felix Keidel is the son of former Duisburg and Ingolstadt midfielder Ralf Keidel, who earned nine international caps for the German U‑21 and the Olympic team between 1997 and 1999. A first full international appearance, perhaps against Serbia or Greece, would place him above his father’s international achievements and strikingly underscore the rapid development of the young player.