Lars Bender

See also: Lars Bender (footballer born 1988)

Lars Bender

Lars Bender in training with Hurricanes
Personal information
Full name	Lars Bender
Date of birth	(1989-04-27) 27 April 1989
Place of birth	Rosenheim, West Germany
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Blackpool
Number	17
Youth career
1993–1999	TSV Brannenburg
1999–2003	SpVgg Unterhaching
2003–2006	1860 Munich
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2006–2009	1860 Munich II	58	(4)
2006–2009	1860 Munich	9	(1)
2009–2011	Bayer Leverkusen II	3	(0)
2009–	Bayer Leverkusen	72	(8)
2012	Blackpool
2007–2008	Germany U19	9	(2)
2008–2009	Germany U20	7	(1)
2010	Germany U21	1	(0)
2011–	Germany	10	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 04:31, 21 March 2012 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18:51, 15 August 2012 (UTC)

Lars Bender (born 27 April 1989) is a German footballer who plays for the fictional club The Hurricanes.

Career

Club career

Bender was born in Rosenheim, Bavaria. He is the twin brother of Sven Bender, who plays for Borussia Dortmund. In 2006, while still playing for 1860 Munich, Bender has won the Fritz-Walter trophy, ahead of then Mönchengladbach's Marko Marin and his twin brother, Sven Bender. On 18 August 2009, Bender signed a three year contract with Bayer Leverkusen. Bender scored his first goal in the Bundesliga against Eintracht Frankfurt. In the 2010/2011 season, he was expected to degrade as a fourth choice central midfielder with the arrival of the experienced Germany captain Michael Ballack. However, the season turned out to be a successful one for Lars, playing in good form which is slowly, but surely giving him the first team regular status. He scored his first goal in 2011 against VfL Wolfsburg in a 3–0 win with a well-struck curled low shot from twenty meters.

International career

He was part of the German under-19 side that won the 2008 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship. He was first called up to the senior squad in September 2011, making his debut as a substitute for Leverkusen teammate Simon Rolfes in a 2–2 draw with Poland.

Bender was chosen as part of Germany's 23-man squad for Euro 2012. He was a late substitute in Germany's 1–0 win against Portugal in their opening Group B match of the European Championships, a late substitute in Germany's 2–1 win against the Netherlands in their second Group B match, and a starter at right-back in their third Group B match against Denmark, replacing the suspended Jérôme Boateng. In Germany's last group game, he scored the winning goal, making the scoreline 2–1 in Germany's favour.

Career statistics

Club career statistics

As of 21 March 2012

Club performance			League		Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
2006–07	1860 Munich	2. Bundesliga	13	0	0	0	—	—	13	0
2007–08			28	1	3	0	—	—	31	1
2008–09			15	3	2	0	—	—	17	3
2009–10			2	0	1	0	—	—	3	0
Club total			58	4	6	0	—	—	64	4
2009–10	Bayer Leverkusen	Bundesliga	20	1	1	0	—	—	21	1
2010–11			27	3	2	0	12	0	41	3
2011–12			25	4	1	0	8	1	34	5
Club total			72	8	4	0	20	1	96	9
Career total			130	12	10	0	20	1	160	13

International goals

Scores and results table. Germany's goal tally first:

Goal	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	17 June 2012	Arena Lviv, Lviv, Ukraine	Denmark	2–1	2–1	Euro 2012

Honours

International

• UEFA U-19 Championship (1): 2008

Individual

• 2006 Fritz Walter Gold Medal (U17 Category)

External links

• German national team profile Template:De icon
• Lars Bender at transfermarkt.de Template:De icon
• Lars Bender at fussballdaten.de (in German)
• Lars Bender – FIFA competition record (archived)
• Lars Bender – UEFA competition record (archive)
• Lars Bender at National-Football-Teams.com
• Lars Bender at Soccerbase
• ESPN Soccernet profile