Our German Spurs

Timo Werner joined a very exclusive club when he put pen to paper on loan move to north London on Tuesday (9 January).

Signing for us on a deal until the end season, the forward has become just the sixth German-born player to sign for our Men's First Team.

A country which has enjoyed a glut of success on the international stage with four World Cup wins and three European Championship crowns, it might be the most successful nation on the continent but its exports to English football have been rather rare.

Since the formation of the Premier League, just 80 German nationals have played in England's top flight. This season, just 10 players in the Premier League are from Germany, making it the 13th most represented nation in the world.

It is no surprise then that, in our history, we have seen just five players born in Germany take to the pitch in our colours. Here's a look back at their Spurs stories...

Wilkommen, Werner

Max Zeeburg

1907-1908

The first ever German national to wear our shirt came before we even entered the Football League as Max Seeburg joined us from Chelsea in May, 1907. Leipzig born, and a right-midfielder by trade, he moved to London in 1886, aged two, and began his footballing journey at Chelsea, but did not make an appearance before signing for us.

Spending 17 months with us, he scored five goals in 15 games for us in our final Southern League campaign before making a single appearance in our first season in the Football League.

He departed our doors for Leyton Orient in October, 1908, and later appeared for Burnley, Grimsby Town and Reading before he found himself in an internment camp for a few weeks in 1914 – the year the Great War broke out. In August, 1928, he was enlisted into the Army to the 30th Middlesex Regiment, an Infantry Works (Alien) Battalion, transferring to Army Reserve the following June before he was granted British citizenship in January, 1920.

Jurgen Klinsmann

1994/95 & 1997/98

One of the most recognisable German footballers to ever play the game, Jurgen Klinsmann became a Club legend during his time with us in north London. Already a legend of the game by the time he arrived at White Hart Lane, having lifted the World Cup with Germany in 1990, Klinsmann, who was regarded one of if not the best player in the world, was perhaps a shock signing with us having just recorded our lowest-ever Premier League finish of 15^th and him having helped AC Monaco to the Champions League semi-finals, but it was a match made in heaven.

Initially on the back foot when he arrived in England as accusations of him ‘diving’ at the 1990 World Cup were thrown at him by the press and public, he quickly flipped public perception on its head with his charm and humour. Taking the microphone at his press conference as our signing was unveiled to the world, he cheekily asked reporters if there were any diving schools in London. He then followed that up with a diving-inspired celebration as he scored at Sheffield Wednesday on his debut. And that sort of set the German’s course as he went on to score 21 goals that year, take us to the FA Cup semi-finals and win the Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year award.

He left that summer for Bayern Munich but, such was his love for London and supporters, he returned for a final swansong for the second half of the 1997/98 season to save us from relegation. He did so in Klinsmann style – a four-goal haul at Wimbledon in our final away game of the campaign.

Klinsmann's iconic debut goal and celebration

Steffen Freund

1998-2003

Another legendary figure of our Club to have come from Germany, Steffen Freund became a fans’ favourite in N17 during his five years with us.

A serial winner having won the 1996 European Championship winner with the German national team as well as two Bundesligas and the Champions League with Borussia Dortmund, he continued that thirst for silverware with us as, just two months after joining us, he helped us to the League Cup in 1999.

Making over 100 appearances for us, his playing time was restricted after he picked up a serious knee injury, but that didn’t harm his reputation with our supporters as he was loved for the fierce will and desire he showed on the pitch, ever fighting for the badge. Departing for FC Kaiserslautern in 2003, he later returned to north London in 2012 as he became part of Andre Villas-Boas’ coaching staff.

Christian Ziege

2001-04

Another member of Germany's Euro 96 squad, Christian Ziege was famed for his 'wand' of a left foot, seen at its best when he lined up a free-kick from 35 yards against Arsenal in December, 2002. The result? A Gazza-like execution, as Ziege curled his strike from a central area into the top right corner. "Oh wow," bellowed the commentator. "What a stunner!"

Christian, the first player to feature in a World Cup Final as a Spurs player in 2002, also scored in the 2002 League Cup Final, only for us to lose to Blackburn in Cardiff. His time here took a turn for the worse on Boxing Day, 2002, when what seemed like a routine 'dead leg' saw his thigh muscle swell up dangerously - known as 'decompartmentalisation' of the muscle - and he needed emergency surgery. He later moved back to Germany with Borussia Mönchengladbach, but only played another 14 times.

Born in West Berlin, he made his name at Bayern Munich before moving to Inter and then England, with spells at Middlesbrough and Liverpool. He's also coached in Germany, Spain, Thailand and Austira.

Lewis Holtby

2013-15

An energetic midfielder, Lewis was born and raised on the German border with the Netherlands in the town of Erkelenz and kicked off his footballing education with Borussia Mönchengladbach. After a spell at Alemannia Aachen, he caught the eye at Schalke, who completed two top four finishes in the Bundesliga and made it to the quarter-finals of the Europa League in 2012.

He arrived at Spurs under Andre Villas-Boas in January, 2013, and soon became a popular figure with our fanbase at the Lane, the highlight, a belter to secure a Premier League win at Fulham. However, Lewis was soon back at Craven Cottage on loan and after a few appearances under Mauricio Pochettino, returned to Germany and Hamburg in 2015.

Capped three times by Germany, Lewis was back in England and played 56 times for Blackburn Rovers, 2019-2021 before returning to Germany again, this time for Holstein Kiel in 2 Bundesliga.