Clubs: SC Preussen Münster, Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid CF, FC Schalke 04

UEFA honours
UEFA European Championship: runner-up 2008

• Metzelder joined Dortmund from Preussen Münster in 2000 and made rapid progress, breaking through into the German national team during an outstanding 2001/02 season in which he won the Bundesliga title and also reached the UEFA Cup final (for which he was suspended).

• Made his first appearance in a competitive international at the 2002 FIFA World Cup – in an 8-0 victory against Saudi Arabia in Sapporo. Started all seven matches at the tournament, including the final against Brazil (0-2).

• Had surgery on his right achilles in March 2003 that kept him out for almost two years, though he was appointed club captain at Dortmund during his recuperation; re-emerged from his injury nightmare to play at the 2006 World Cup, where he was selected by Jürgen Klinsmann for six matches, missing only the final group game.

• Left Dortmund for Madrid in summer 2007 but his injuries returned, making his contribution to the club's 2007/08 Liga title triumph minimal; managed only 23 league games in three seasons before signing a three-year contract with Schalke in April 2010.

• Despite club problems at Madrid, he made his mark for his country yet again at a major tournament, playing every minute at UEFA EURO 2008 as Joachim Löw's team finished runners-up to Spain and taking his number of caps to 47, a remarkable 19 of them having been collected at major tournaments.

• Scored his first league goal in over five years when he struck in a 4-0 defeat of SV Werder Bremen on 20 November 2010.