A highly versatile defender, equally comfortable operating at the heart of the back four or in either full-back role, Jérôme Boateng played for Germany at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. After a short spell in England with Manchester City FC, he has re-established his international credentials at FC Bayern München, with whom he reached the UEFA Champions League final in 2012.

• Born in Berlin to a German mother and Ghanaian father, he launched his career at local club Hertha BSC Berlin, making Bundesliga debut on 31 January 2007 in a 5-0 defeat at Hannover 96.

• After just ten league games for Hertha he joined Hamburger SV, where he quickly established himself as a key player, helping the club finish fourth and fifth respectively in his first two seasons.

• Reached the UEFA Cup semi-final with HSV in 2008/09 and the same stage of the inaugural UEFA Europa League the following season.

• A member of Germany's winning squad at the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, he made his senior debut four months later in a crucial 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Russia in Moscow but was dismissed as Germany won 1-0 to qualify for the finals, where he started five of the team's seven matches, the first of them against Ghana, for whom his half-brother, Kevin-Prince Boateng, was an opponent.

• Left Hamburg for Manchester City after the World Cup but was injured shortly after his arrival and managed just 14 Premier League starts for the club − plus three in the FA Cup, which City won − before returning to Germany on a four-year deal with Bayern.

UEFA honours
UEFA Champions League: runner-up 2012
UEFA European Under-21 Championship: winner 2009