Norwich City

An imposing centre-half, Christoph Zimmermann worked closely with Daniel Farke before the pairs time at Norwich City.

But Zimmermann’s road to the top tiers of English football is one less travelled by footballers around the world.

Learning (and taking) lessons

2006 - 2012: After a spell at SC Dusseldorf-West, Zimmermann spends the next six years of his youth career at Borussia Monchengladbach.

2012 - 2014: Zimmermann makes the step up to Monchengladbach II, the club’s reserve team, and scores three goals in 52 appearances.

2014 - 2017: A big move occurs as Zimmermann signs for Borussia Dortmund II. He doesn’t play for the first team, but does make 85 appearances for BVB’s reserves. He also links up with Daniel Farke, who takes charge of the side in 2015 and gives his defender the captain’s armband for the Under-23s.

Zimmermann then considers hanging up his boots for a career in teaching, before Farke moves to Norwich City and convinces him otherwise.

The Norwich City years

2017 - Present: Zimmermann signs for Norwich and misses only six league games in the Championship-winning season before competing (and captaining) at the highest level, the Premier League. 

On the pitch, Zimmermann is willing to risk life and limb for the Canaries, demonstrated by his famous headed tackle on the ground against Wolves in 2018. Off of it, the number six is a class act. He can always be seen applauding all of the supporters at the end of matches at Carrow Road, regardless of the result.