# Benjamin Henrichs
**Benjamin Henrichs** (full name Benjamin Paa Kwesi Henrichs, born 1997 in Bocholt) is a German professional footballer who plays as a full-back, and at times as a midfielder, for [Bundesliga](https://www.edgepedia.org/bundesliga) club [RB Leipzig](https://www.edgepedia.org/rb-leipzig)[1](https://datencenter.dfb.de/personen/297902/spieler) • [2](https://fieldinsider.com/scout-report/benjamin-paa-kwesi-henrichs-98). Born to a German father and a Ghanaian mother, he was eligible to represent either nation before choosing Germany, with whom he won the 2017 [FIFA Confederations Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/fifa-confederations-cup)[1](https://datencenter.dfb.de/personen/297902/spieler) • [3](https://www.munzinger.de/register/portrait/biographien/Benjamin%2BHenrichs/01/9397).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1997, Bocholt, Germany; 183 cm, 79 kg[1](https://datencenter.dfb.de/personen/297902/spieler) • [4](https://www.bundesliga.com/en/player/benjamin-henrichs) |
| Position | Full-back (right-back), also used in midfield; RB Leipzig squad number 39[4](https://www.bundesliga.com/en/player/benjamin-henrichs) |
| Clubs | SpVg Porz (2001–2004), Bayer 04 Leverkusen (2004–2018), AS Monaco (2018–2020), RB Leipzig (2020–)[5](https://www.transfermarkt.de/benjamin-henrichs/transfers/spieler/202591/transfer_id/3328368) |
| Honors | Confederations Cup 2017; DFB-Pokal 2021/2022 and 2022/2023; Franz Beckenbauer Supercup 2023[1](https://datencenter.dfb.de/personen/297902/spieler) |
| Germany | 19 senior caps (9 wins, 5 draws, 5 losses) per the DFB, plus 3 Olympic appearances in 2021[1](https://datencenter.dfb.de/personen/297902/spieler) |
| Youth award | Fritz Walter Medal in gold as the best U19 player, 2016[6](https://www.bayer04.de/en-us/news/youth/benjamin-henrichs-the-really-straight-path) |
| Major injury | Ruptured Achilles tendon on 20 December 2024, in RB Leipzig's 5-1 defeat at Bayern Munich[7](https://rbleipzig.com/en/news/benjamin-henrichs-comeback-team-training-rb-leipzig) |
## Youth and Leverkusen
Henrichs began his club career at the Cologne district side SpVgg Porz (today SpVgg Porz 1919) before joining [Bayer 04 Leverkusen](https://www.edgepedia.org/bayer-04-leverkusen) in 2004 at the age of seven[3](https://www.munzinger.de/register/portrait/biographien/Benjamin%2BHenrichs/01/9397) • [6](https://www.bayer04.de/en-us/news/youth/benjamin-henrichs-the-really-straight-path). He progressed through every Werkself and Germany youth team from the U8s upward, and in his own account scored five goals in a 6-0 U14 win over Alemannia Aachen[6](https://www.bayer04.de/en-us/news/youth/benjamin-henrichs-the-really-straight-path). He turned professional at 17 and made his Bundesliga debut for [Leverkusen](https://www.edgepedia.org/leverkusen) in September 2015 as an 18-year-old[1](https://datencenter.dfb.de/personen/297902/spieler) • [3](https://www.munzinger.de/register/portrait/biographien/Benjamin%2BHenrichs/01/9397).
**Conversion to full-back.** Originally an attack-minded player, he was retrained as a full-back by coach Roger Schmidt in a home game against Werder Bremen in March 2016, after which he established himself as a first-team regular at 19[6](https://www.bayer04.de/en-us/news/youth/benjamin-henrichs-the-really-straight-path). In 2016 he received the Fritz Walter Medal in gold as Germany's best U19 player[6](https://www.bayer04.de/en-us/news/youth/benjamin-henrichs-the-really-straight-path). His DFB record for the Leverkusen first team lists 76 appearances across all competitions between 2015 and 2018, including 7 in the Champions League[1](https://datencenter.dfb.de/personen/297902/spieler).
## AS Monaco and RB Leipzig
On 28 August 2018, Leverkusen agreed the transfer of the 21-year-old to French top-flight side AS Monaco, where he signed a five-year deal[8](https://www.bayer04.de/en-us/news/bayer04/benjamin-henrichs-joins-as-monaco). After two seasons in [Ligue 1](https://www.edgepedia.org/ligue-1) he returned to Germany in 2020, joining RB Leipzig, initially on a one-year loan with an option to buy[3](https://www.munzinger.de/register/portrait/biographien/Benjamin%2BHenrichs/01/9397).
At Leipzig his standing rose under successive coaches. Largely overlooked by [Jesse Marsch](https://www.edgepedia.org/jesse-marsch), he became a fixed part of the team under [Domenico Tedesco](https://www.edgepedia.org/domenico-tedesco) and then [Marco Rose](https://www.edgepedia.org/marco-rose), and in 2022 and 2023 won the DFB-Pokal, his first club titles[3](https://www.munzinger.de/register/portrait/biographien/Benjamin%2BHenrichs/01/9397). Leipzig also won the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup in 2023[1](https://datencenter.dfb.de/personen/297902/spieler). His DFB club record for Leipzig shows 185 appearances to mid-2026, including 130 in the Bundesliga and 26 in the Champions League[1](https://datencenter.dfb.de/personen/297902/spieler).
**Achilles injury and return.** On 20 December 2024, Henrichs ruptured his [Achilles tendon](https://www.edgepedia.org/achilles-tendon) in the final minute of the last game before the winter break, Leipzig's 5-1 defeat in Munich[7](https://rbleipzig.com/en/news/benjamin-henrichs-comeback-team-training-rb-leipzig). Having never previously dealt with a major injury, he spent roughly eleven months on the sidelines before rejoining team training, and he has described the 2026 World Cup as his major target[9](https://rbleipzig.com/en/news/benjamin-henrichs-spielmacher-podcast-rb-leipzig-november-2025).
## Germany
Henrichs made his senior international debut in 2016 under [Joachim Löw](https://www.edgepedia.org/joachim-low), coming days after a Champions League game against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley that he called his coolest match to that point; his first cap was a full 90 minutes in the 8-0 World Cup qualifying win in [San Marino](https://www.edgepedia.org/san-marino)[6](https://www.bayer04.de/en-us/news/youth/benjamin-henrichs-the-really-straight-path). In 2017 he was part of the Germany squad that won the Confederations Cup in Russia, playing two matches in the tournament[1](https://datencenter.dfb.de/personen/297902/spieler).
He was recalled to the national team under [Hansi Flick](https://www.edgepedia.org/hansi-flick) in 2022 and was in [Julian Nagelsmann](https://www.edgepedia.org/julian-nagelsmann)'s squad for the home European Championship in 2024[3](https://www.munzinger.de/register/portrait/biographien/Benjamin%2BHenrichs/01/9397). The DFB credits him with 19 senior caps, 5 of them in the Nations League and 1 at the European Championship[1](https://datencenter.dfb.de/personen/297902/spieler).
## Playing style
Henrichs is a defensive all-rounder whose main position is right-back in a back four, with the ability to play in midfield[3](https://www.munzinger.de/register/portrait/biographien/Benjamin%2BHenrichs/01/9397). Tactical analysis of his Leverkusen years noted that when opponents build up successfully he drops off the winger or full-back and returns to his position, and that he rose through Leverkusen with a reputation as a future star at right-back[11](https://totalfootballanalysis.com/player-analysis/benjamin-henrichs-will-fit-rb-leipzig-2019-20-scout-report). Bundesliga tracking data for the 2026/27 season shows a top speed of 31.61 km/h across his first appearances after his injury layoff[4](https://www.bundesliga.com/en/player/benjamin-henrichs).
## References
1. [Benjamin Henrichs, Spielerprofil, DFB Datencenter](https://datencenter.dfb.de/personen/297902/spieler)
2. [Benjamin Henrichs, Stats, Rating & Scouting Report, Field Insider](https://fieldinsider.com/scout-report/benjamin-paa-kwesi-henrichs-98)
3. [Benjamin Henrichs, Munzinger Biographie](https://www.munzinger.de/register/portrait/biographien/Benjamin%2BHenrichs/01/9397)
4. [Benjamin Henrichs, RB Leipzig, Player Profile, Bundesliga](https://www.bundesliga.com/en/player/benjamin-henrichs)
5. [Benjamin Henrichs, Transferhistorie, Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.de/benjamin-henrichs/transfers/spieler/202591/transfer_id/3328368)
6. [Benjamin Henrichs, the really straight path, Bayer04.de](https://www.bayer04.de/en-us/news/youth/benjamin-henrichs-the-really-straight-path)
7. [Benjamin Henrichs comeback: team training, RB Leipzig](https://rbleipzig.com/en/news/benjamin-henrichs-comeback-team-training-rb-leipzig)
8. [Benjamin Henrichs joins AS Monaco, Bayer04.de](https://www.bayer04.de/en-us/news/bayer04/benjamin-henrichs-joins-as-monaco)
9. [Benjamin Henrichs, Spielmacher podcast, RB Leipzig, November 2025](https://rbleipzig.com/en/news/benjamin-henrichs-spielmacher-podcast-rb-leipzig-november-2025)
10. [Team Roster, Germany, Olympic Games 2021, Olympic Library](https://library.olympics.com/digitalCollection/DigitalCollectionAttachmentDownloadHandler.ashx?documentId=849121&parentDocumentId=849101&skipCopyright=true&skipWatermark=true)
11. [How Benjamin Henrichs will fit in at RB Leipzig 2019/20, Total Football Analysis](https://totalfootballanalysis.com/player-analysis/benjamin-henrichs-will-fit-rb-leipzig-2019-20-scout-report)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of continental Europe › German footballers born 1995 onward*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license