Christian Clemens

Club career

1. FC Köln

Clemens started his career with SC Weiler-Volkhoven, joined 1. FC Köln at the age of ten and progressed through the club's youth system.

After previously been called up the first team as an unused substitute in the last game of the season against Nürnberg in the 2009–10 season, Clemens made his first-team debut in a 1–0 win against FC St. Pauli. Following the match, Goal.com praised Clemens' debut, having "switched off from the midfield several times on the offensive, unsettled the Pauli four-chain." On 11 December 2010, he scored his first goal for the club in a 1–0 win against Eintracht Frankfurt. Clemens then scored his second goal for the club on 5 February 2011, in a 3–2 win over Bayern Munich. Clemens' performance in his first season at the club earned him a contract extension on 30 March 2011. Despite suffering from an injury, relating to the stress response of the bone that kept him out for the rest of the season, Clemens finished the 2010–11 season, making thirty appearance and scoring two times in all competitions.

In the 2011–12 season, Clemens returned to the first team when he made his first appearance since returning from injury, in a 5–1 loss against Schalke 04 on 13 August 2011. Weeks later, Clemens scored his first goal of the season on 27 August 2011, in a 4–3 win over Hamburg. Clemens then scored, as well as, setting up one of the goals, in a 3–2 loss against Werder Bremen on 5 November 2011; then scoring twice on 10 December 2011, in a 4–0 win over Freiburg. It wasn't until 10 March 2012 when he scored his fifth goal of the season, in a 1–0 win over Hertha BSC. However, Clemens was unable to help the club avoid relegation to 2. Bundesliga next season. Despite this, Clemens finished the 2011–12 season, making thirty-three appearance and scoring two times in all competitions.

Following the club's relegation to 2. Bundesliga, Clemens missed the 2012–13 season, due to a ruptured intramuscular ligament initiation in the ankle during a friendly match against Heerenveen. It wasn't until on 27 August 2012 when he made his first appearance of the season, in a 2–0 loss against Erzgebirge Aue. After missing out one match, Clemens scored on his return, in a 3–3 draw against Kaiserslautern on 26 October 2012. From 10 December 2012 to 3 March 2013, Clemens scored five goals in eight matches in all competitions, including goals against Eintracht Braunschweig, Stuttgart and St. Pauli. Clemens' performance later in the 2012–13 season earned him Player of the Month on three occasion. Clemens went on to make thirty-three appearance and scoring seven times in all competitions. For his performance the whole season, Clemens was awarded the club's Player of the Year Award.

Following the end of the 2012–13 season, Clemens was linked with a move to Schalke 04 for the 2013–14 Bundesliga season. It was later revealed that he has an exit clause that allows him to leave the club. With his departure increasingly slim, Clemens played his last home again for the club, where he scored in a 2–1 loss against Hertha BC on 12 May 2013. Clemens' move to Schalke 04 was confirmed on 17 June 2013.

Schalke 04

On 17 June 2013, Schalke 04 confirmed that Christian Clemens had signed a 4-year professional contract with them until 30 June 2017. The transfer fee is reported as €3,000,000 by the S04 Sport and Communications manager Horst Heldt. Upon joining the club, Clemens was assigned a number 11 shirt, previously worn by Ibrahim Afellay.

Clemens made his debut for the club, in the opening game of the season, where he played the whole game and set up one of the goals, in a 3–3 draw against Hamburger. In the second round of DFB-Pokal, Clemens set one of the goals, in a 3–1 win over Darmstadt 98 to progress to the next round. Clemens remained in the first team at the start of the season until he suffered a strain on his muscle thigh. Clemens returned to the first team from injury on 7 December 2013, in a 2–1 loss against Borussia Mönchengladbach. However, Clemens suffered a stubborn palsy problems that kept him out for the rest of the season.

Ahead of the 2014–15 season, Clemens continued to recover from his injury, but suffered a muscle fiber tears in the pre-season. Soon, he began to recover quickly the following month and made his first appearance on 18 August 2014, in the first round of DFB-Pokal, with a 2–1 loss against Dynamo Dresden. However, Clemens struggled to regain his first team place since returning from injury at Schalke 04.

Mainz 05

On 6 January 2015, Clemens left Schalke 04 to join Bundesliga's rival Mainz 05 on loan, until the end of the 2015–16 season. The move also includes an option to sign him on a permanent basis.

Clemens made his Mainz 05 debut on 31 January 2015, where he played the whole game, in a 5–0 win over Paderborn. Clemens then scored his first goal for the club on 21 February 2015, in a 3–1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt. However, Clemens suffered injuries that kept him out throughout March and April. It wasn't until on 9 May 2015 when he made his first team return as a late substitute, in a 2–0 loss against Stuttgart. Despite injuries, Clemens finished the season, making ten appearance and scoring once in all competitions.

In the 2015–16 season, Clemens started the season well when he scored in the first round of DFL Pokal, as well as, setting up one of the goals, in a 3–1 win over Energie Cottbus and did the same thing weeks later on 23 August 2015, in a 2–1 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach. After suffering a plantar fascia that kept him out throughout October, Clemens returned and then scored his second goal on 5 December 2015, in a 3–1 win over Hamburger SV. He later scored three more goals later in the season, including a brace against Augsburg on 2 April 2016, which saw them win 4–2. Clemens finished the 2015–16 season, making twenty-nine appearance and scoring six times in all competitions.

Following this, Clemens joined the club on a permanent basis, keeping him until 2019 on 29 April 2016. Clemens hinted that he could leave the club in the summer. However, Clemens struggled to regained his first team since joining the club on a permanent basis, due to injuries and made six appearance in all competitions.

1. FC Köln (second spell)

On 21 December 2016, Clemens joined 1. FC Köln for the second time, keeping him until 2021, where he will join up the club on 1 January 2017.

In a friendly match against Bochum on 7 January 2017, Clemens scored in a 1–0 win. After the match, Clemens' performance was praised by Manager Peter Stöger.

International career

Clemens previously played for several Germany national youth football teams and on 6 September 2010, Clemens was called up by Germany U20 for the first time and on 6 September 2010 Clemens made his debut for the Germany U-20 national football team in a 3–2 victory over Switzerland in which Clemens also scored his first goal for the Germany U-20 national football team. It wasn't until August 2011 when he returned to the U20 squad and scored his first goal in almost twelve months for the side, in a 4–2 win over Poland U20 on 31 August 2011.

On 6 February 2011, Clemens received his first call-up to the Germany U-21 national football team for a match against the Greece U-21 national football team. On 9 February 2011, Clemens debuted for the Germany U-21 national football team in a friendly match against the Greece U-21 national football team, which saw them drew 0–0. Two years later, on 24 March 2013, Clemens was called by the Germany U21 once again and played 29 minutes after coming on as a substitute in the second half, in a 2–1 win over Israel U21. In the summer of 2013, Clemens was called by the U21 side once again for 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship and went on to three appearance for the side, although they were eliminated in the Group Stage.

Playing style

Clemens is mainly deployed as a winger and utilized on the left or right flanks on the football pitch; but Clemens can also be deployed as a second striker. Clemens himself sees his strengths on the flanks of the football pitch. Clemens possesses accurate heading and shooting of the ball, great agility and endurance, physical strength, rapid acceleration and speed. Clemens is a dummy specialist and a silky dribbler which Clemens utilizes to bamboozle opposition defenders in one-on-one situations with ease.

Career statistics

Club

As of 10 April 2017

Outside football

Personal life

Clemens has a younger brother, Michael Clemens, who currently play for 1. FC Köln II.