# Christoph Kramer
**Christoph Kramer** (born 1991) is a German former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder, most notably for [Borussia Mönchengladbach](https://www.edgepedia.org/borussia-monchengladbach), and was a member of Germany's 2014 [FIFA World Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/fifa-world-cup)-winning squad[1](https://www.kicker.de/christoph-kramer/laufbahn) • [2](https://datencenter.dfb.de/personen/christoph-kramer/spieler). He is widely remembered for an incident in the 2014 World Cup final, in which he played roughly a quarter of an hour with a concussion and later said he had no memory of those minutes[3](https://www.munzinger.de/register/portrait/biographien/kramer%20christoph/01/8765).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1991, Solingen, Germany; 1.91 m, 81 kg[1](https://www.kicker.de/christoph-kramer/laufbahn) |
| Position | Defensive midfielder (main position), right-footed[4](https://www.transfermarkt.com/vergleich/spielervergleich/statistik/def/spieler/82097%26153084/sort/minuten_pro_tor.desc) • [5](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/269788/christoph-kramer) |
| Senior clubs | VfL Bochum (loan, 2011–13), Borussia Mönchengladbach (loan, 2013–15), Bayer 04 Leverkusen (2015–16), Borussia Mönchengladbach (2016–Aug 2024)[5](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/269788/christoph-kramer) |
| Gladbach record | 215 league games and 5 goals from 1 July 2016 to August 2024; the DFB lists 288 Gladbach appearances across all competitions from 2013 to 2024[1](https://www.kicker.de/christoph-kramer/laufbahn) • [2](https://datencenter.dfb.de/personen/christoph-kramer/spieler) |
| Germany | 12 senior caps, 0 goals, debut 13 May 2014; 2014 World Cup winner[2](https://datencenter.dfb.de/personen/christoph-kramer/spieler) |
| 2014 final | Concussion after a collision with Ezequiel Garay; asked the referee "Is this the final?" before being substituted[6](https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37372523/nicola-rizzoli-reveals-extent-christoph-kramer-2014-world-cup-final-concussion) |
| Career end | Retired, announced 2 June 2025; last club Borussia Mönchengladbach[7](https://www.transfermarkt.de/christoph-kramer/news/spieler/82097) |
## Youth and early career
Kramer began playing football at age five at BV Gräfrath in his home city of Solingen, initially as a striker, and moved to [Bayer 04 Leverkusen](https://www.edgepedia.org/bayer-04-leverkusen)'s youth academy in 1999[3](https://www.munzinger.de/register/portrait/biographien/kramer%20christoph/01/8765). He progressed through Leverkusen's Under-19 side and reserve team, making 51 U19 appearances and 27 Regionalliga appearances for Leverkusen II between 2008 and 2011[2](https://datencenter.dfb.de/personen/christoph-kramer/spieler).
To gain senior experience he went out on loan, first to [VfL Bochum](https://www.edgepedia.org/vfl-bochum) in the 2. Bundesliga from 2011 to 2013, where he made 67 appearances and scored 4 goals, and then to Borussia Mönchengladbach from 2013 to 2015[5](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/269788/christoph-kramer). At Gladbach he established himself as an anchor in front of the defense; a 2014 scouting report described a consistent passer operating in a deeper midfield role who pressed energetically and helped the club challenge for a Champions League place[8](https://manutdscouting.blogspot.com/2014/01/manchester-united-scouting-reports.html).
## Club career
**Leverkusen return and permanent move.** Kramer returned to parent club Bayer Leverkusen for the 2015–16 season, making 44 appearances in all competitions, including Champions League and Europa League matches[5](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/269788/christoph-kramer) • [2](https://datencenter.dfb.de/personen/christoph-kramer/spieler). He then joined Borussia Mönchengladbach permanently on 1 July 2016 and remained there until August 2024, a spell of eight years and one month[1](https://www.kicker.de/christoph-kramer/laufbahn). Across that period he made 215 league appearances with 5 goals, and the DFB's records credit him with 288 Gladbach appearances in total between 2013 and 2024, including 243 [Bundesliga](https://www.edgepedia.org/bundesliga) games for the club[1](https://www.kicker.de/christoph-kramer/laufbahn) • [2](https://datencenter.dfb.de/personen/christoph-kramer/spieler). His overall Bundesliga tally across [Leverkusen](https://www.edgepedia.org/leverkusen) and Gladbach was 271 matches[2](https://datencenter.dfb.de/personen/christoph-kramer/spieler).
His market value peaked at €14.8 million on 31 December 2015, according to FotMob; Transfermarkt's comparison page gives a peak of €14.00 million[5](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/269788/christoph-kramer) • [4](https://www.transfermarkt.com/vergleich/spielervergleich/statistik/def/spieler/82097%26153084/sort/minuten_pro_tor.desc). In his later Gladbach years his playing time declined, with 14 Bundesliga appearances in 2023–24, and he left the club after his contract ran to 30 June 2024[1](https://www.kicker.de/christoph-kramer/laufbahn) • [2](https://datencenter.dfb.de/personen/christoph-kramer/spieler). Transfermarkt records his career as ended since 2 June 2025, with Gladbach as his last club and the club he represented most often[7](https://www.transfermarkt.de/christoph-kramer/news/spieler/82097).
## The 2014 World Cup final
Kramer started the final against Argentina at the Maracanã only because [Sami Khedira](https://www.edgepedia.org/sami-khedira) picked up an injury during the warm-up[6](https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37372523/nicola-rizzoli-reveals-extent-christoph-kramer-2014-world-cup-final-concussion). In the first half he collided with Argentina's Ezequiel Garay, received treatment on the pitch, and tried to continue[6](https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37372523/nicola-rizzoli-reveals-extent-christoph-kramer-2014-world-cup-final-concussion).
Referee Nicola Rizzoli later described what followed: shortly after the collision, Kramer came to him asking "ref, is this the final?"; when Rizzoli said yes, Kramer, stunned, replied "Thanks, that's important to know." Rizzoli informed [Bastian Schweinsteiger](https://www.edgepedia.org/bastian-schweinsteiger) and the midfielder was replaced[6](https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37372523/nicola-rizzoli-reveals-extent-christoph-kramer-2014-world-cup-final-concussion). Contemporary accounts put the time he continued playing at about 14 to nearly 15 minutes after the collision[9](https://time.com/3423182/soccer-concussions-fifa/) • [10](https://www.casact.org/sites/default/files/presentation/annual_2014_handouts_paper_3760_handout_2386_0.pdf). Kramer said afterwards that he had no memory of those minutes on the pitch[3](https://www.munzinger.de/register/portrait/biographien/kramer%20christoph/01/8765).
The incident drew international criticism of football's handling of head injuries. Commentators noted that a *Lancet Neurology* editorial published the day before the final had warned of the long-term effects of concussion, and FIFA's medical committee responded in September 2014 by proposing a mandatory three-minute stop whenever a player was suspected of suffering head trauma, with the team doctor given the final decision on whether the player could continue[11](https://time.com/2979394/athletes-should-not-play-with-head-injuries-say-doctors/) • [9](https://time.com/3423182/soccer-concussions-fifa/).
## International career
Kramer made his senior debut for Germany on 13 May 2014 and earned 12 caps without scoring, winning 6, drawing 3, and losing 3 of them[2](https://datencenter.dfb.de/personen/christoph-kramer/spieler). His three World Cup appearances in 2014 all ended in German wins, and the title in Brazil remains his only major trophy[2](https://datencenter.dfb.de/personen/christoph-kramer/spieler) • [5](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/269788/christoph-kramer). He was in the national squad pool as late as November 2015, when he was named among Leverkusen's midfielders for friendlies against France and the Netherlands[12](https://as.com/futbol/2015/11/06/internacional/1446826774_842191.html).
## Media work and after football
Kramer built a parallel career as a broadcaster. He missed the cut for Germany's 2018 World Cup squad but drew a positive response as a World Cup expert for the ZDF network, and he again served as a television expert at Euro 2020, where his analysis and quick wit were noted[3](https://www.munzinger.de/register/portrait/biographien/kramer%20christoph/01/8765). He has also worked as a podcaster and published a novel about a teenager named Chris Kramer navigating everyday life in the summer of 2006[13](https://flagside.football/de/news/where-are-they-now-christoph-kramer-de) • [14](https://www.borussia.de/news/christoph-kramer-im-sommer-fing-das-leben-an).
## References
1. [Christoph Kramer, Laufbahn, kicker](https://www.kicker.de/christoph-kramer/laufbahn)
2. [Christoph Kramer, Spielerprofil, DFB Datencenter](https://datencenter.dfb.de/personen/christoph-kramer/spieler)
3. [Christoph Kramer, Munzinger Biographie](https://www.munzinger.de/register/portrait/biographien/kramer%20christoph/01/8765)
4. [Player comparison Christoph Kramer / Leon Goretzka, Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.com/vergleich/spielervergleich/statistik/def/spieler/82097%26153084/sort/minuten_pro_tor.desc)
5. [Christoph Kramer, FotMob](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/269788/christoph-kramer)
6. [Dazed Kramer 'forgot he was in final', ESPN](https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37372523/nicola-rizzoli-reveals-extent-christoph-kramer-2014-world-cup-final-concussion)
7. [Christoph Kramer, News, Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.de/christoph-kramer/news/spieler/82097)
8. [Manchester United Scouting Reports: Christoph Kramer](https://manutdscouting.blogspot.com/2014/01/manchester-united-scouting-reports.html)
9. [FIFA May Mandate Concussion Breaks in Soccer Games, TIME](https://time.com/3423182/soccer-concussions-fifa/)
10. [Tackling Concussion Litigation, Casualty Actuarial Society presentation (2014)](https://www.casact.org/sites/default/files/presentation/annual_2014_handouts_paper_3760_handout_2386_0.pdf)
11. [Athletes Should Not Play With Head Injuries, Say Doctors, TIME](https://time.com/2979394/athletes-should-not-play-with-head-injuries-say-doctors/)
12. [Alemania libera a Kroos de los choques con Francia y Holanda, AS](https://as.com/futbol/2015/11/06/internacional/1446826774_842191.html)
13. [Christoph Kramer heute: TV-Experte, Podcaster und Romanautor, Flagside](https://flagside.football/de/news/where-are-they-now-christoph-kramer-de)
14. [Kramer: „Die Gefühlslage ist echt", Borussia Mönchengladbach](https://www.borussia.de/news/christoph-kramer-im-sommer-fing-das-leben-an)
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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 before 1995*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license