World Cup winner Roman Weidenfeller joins Bundesliga legends, Supports Bundesliga Dream India

Two-time Bundesliga champion Roman Weidenfeller joins Bundesliga Legends Network

The former goalkeeper has joined the global network of Bundesliga Legends including Jürgen Klinsmann, Lothar Matthäus, Philipp Lahm and Claudio Pizarro.

Weidenfeller played in the Dortmund teams which won back-to-back Bundesliga titles under Jürgen Klopp in 2011 and 2012. He made a total of 453 appearances for BVB and was in goal when they won the German Cup final in 2012.

Bundesliga Dream India – now in its second year – gives young Indian footballers the chance to train and play at the elite youth academies of German clubs. The national finals were held in Mumbai from April 25-29 with around 450 players chosen from regional trials battling it out to be selected for the trip to Germany in June.

Bundesliga Dream India National Finals kicks off in Mumbai, this time in collaboration with German clubs VfB Stuttgart and SV Darmstadt 98.#bundesliga #darmstadt #stuttgart #indianfootball #football #bundesligadreamindia pic.twitter.com/G3Y6zmSu5S

— Khel Now (@KhelNow) April 28, 2025

The selected squads of Under-13 and Under-15 players will attend training camps at VfB Stuttgart and SV Darmstadt before playing friendly matches against both clubs. The Indian players will follow a set training plan, drawn up by the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga and the participating clubs.

“I am delighted and flattered to join such a prestigious group of Legends, some of whom I admired as a boy when I started playing football and who achieved such great things in the Bundesliga,” said Weidenfeller, who won the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil with Germany.

Björn Peter represented VfB Stuttgart as part of the scouting panel on site in Mumbai

Coaches from Stuttgart and Darmstadt were alongside Weidenfeller at the national finals in Mumbai, to help identify talent and pass on tips.

“It was great to see the enthusiasm and skill of the kids, there was some really good young talent on show out there and I am looking forward to seeing how the final squads get on in Germany,” said Weidenfeller.

The long-term aim of Bundesliga Dream India is to create a pathway to the Bundesliga for the most promising young Indian talent.

“It is an exciting time for the growth of interest in football in India, where the number of Bundesliga fans has surged by 30% since 2021, meaning the Bundesliga is the fastest growing league there,” said Peer Naubert, Managing Director and Chief Marketing Officer of Bundesliga International.

“Given our local strategy and initiatives in India to showcase ‘Football As It’s Meant To Be’, we are committed to football on the subcontinent.

“Thanks to Roman, for supporting Bundesliga Dream India which establishes a route for young talented Indian players to train and play at elite facilities in Germany.

“We hope others will follow in the footsteps of Sarpreet Singh, who was the first player of Indian descent to play in the Bundesliga.”

Bundesliga Dream India helping kids to achieve their dreams. 📷📷#bundesliga #bundesligadreamindia #indianfootball #neymarjr pic.twitter.com/KepW6O0ZmY

— Khel Now (@KhelNow) April 29, 2025

Former SV Darmstadt 98 full-back Sandro Sirigu completed the three-man scouting panel responsible for squad selection in India

The latest Bundesliga Dream project in India is the next extension of an existing framework to support the development of football across Asia. Previous editions featured various youth teams from the across APAC region such as Thailand, Vietnam, China as well as the Indonesia U-17 Youth Team ahead of their FIFA U-17 World Cup campaign.

The Bundesliga continues to support the growth of football in India. Last year, Peer Naubert met high-profile Indian politicians, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi to outline how the German league plans to help develop football on the subcontinent.

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