Alexander Schwolow

Alexander Schwolow

Schwolow with Union Berlin in 2023
Personal information
Date of birth	(1992-06-02) 2 June 1992 (age 32)
Place of birth	Wiesbaden, Germany
Height	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) [1]
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team	Union Berlin
Number	37
Youth career
0000–2005	SV Allendorf/Berghausen
2005–2008	Wehen Wiesbaden
2008–2010	SC Freiburg
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2010–2012	SC Freiburg II	51	(0)
2012–2020	SC Freiburg	158	(0)
2014–2015	→ Arminia Bielefeld (loan)	37	(0)
2020–2023	Hertha BSC	51	(0)
2022–2023	→ Schalke 04 (loan)	23	(0)
2023–	Union Berlin	6	(0)
International career
2010	Germany U18	3	(0)
2010–2011	Germany U19	2	(0)
2011	Germany U20	7	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 25 January 2025

Alexander Schwolow (born 2 June 1992) is a German professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Bundesliga club Union Berlin.

Club career

Youth years

Schwolow began his youth career at 3. Liga side SV Wehen Wiesbaden. He left in 2008 for SC Freiburg's U17 team from where he later progressed to the U19 team.

SC Freiburg

Schwolow with SC Freiburg in 2019

In 2010, Schwolow was promoted to SC Freiburg's reserve team. He managed to start 51 games in the Regionalliga Südwest, conceding 77 goals while keeping 12 clean sheets.

On 1 January 2012, Schwolow was called up to SC Freiburg's first team. He made his first appearance on 10 May 2014 in a 3–2 loss to Hannover 96. ^[1]

On 1 July 2015, SC Freiburg recalled Schwolow after one season on loan at Arminia Bielefeld, ^[2] after selling Roman Bürki to Borussia Dortmund. ^[3]

Arminia Bielefeld (loan)

On 1 July 2014, Schwolow agreed to a two-year loan to Arminia Bielefeld who aimed at gaining promotion following their relegation from the 2. Bundesliga. ^[4] He made his debut on 26 July 2014 in 2–1 win over Mainz 05 II. ^[5] Schwolow made his first appearance in a non-league game in a 4–1 win over SV Sandhausen in a DFB-Pokal match on 17 August 2014. ^[6]

Hertha BSC

On 4 August 2020, Hertha BSC agreed on a deal with SC Freiburg to sign Schwolow, after triggering his €8 million release clause. ^{[7] [8]} Under head coach Bruno Labbadia, the 28-year-old replaced long-time regular starter Rune Jarstein and made 18 Bundesliga appearances. ^[1] As the Berlin-based side were in danger of relegation, Labbadia was replaced by Pál Dárdai, who had already coached the team from 2015 to 2019, and he preferred Jarstein in goal from matchday 19. However, Dárdai stated: "Alex Schwolow owns the future. He's number one, even if Rune is playing at the moment." ^[9] On matchday 27, Schwolow returned in Hertha's goal as Jarstein was out after becoming infected with the Alpha variant of COVID-19 during the pandemic. ^[10]

Schwolow became the starting goalkeeper again during the 2021–22 season, as Hertha were once again in a relegation fight. On 2 April 2022, he suffered a thigh injury in the league match against Bayer Leverkusen, ruling him out for the remainder of the season. ^[11] He was replaced in goal by backup Marcel Lotka, and afterwards by Oliver Christensen in the relegation playoffs against Hamburger SV after Lotka broke his nose. ^[12]

On 26 July 2023, his contract with Hertha was terminated by mutual consent. ^[13]

Schalke 04 (loan)

On 15 June 2022, Schalke 04 announced the signing of Schwolow on loan for the 2022–23 season. ^[14]

International career

Schwolow has represented his country in youth levels but has not yet represented them at a senior level.

Career statistics

As of match played on 25 January 2025. ^[15]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Cup		Europe		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
SC Freiburg II	2010–11	Regionalliga Südwest	9	0	—		—		9	0
	2011–12	Regionalliga Südwest	18	0	—		—		18	0
	2012–13	Regionalliga Südwest	14	0	—		—		14	0
	2013–14	Regionalliga Südwest	10	0	—		—		10	0
	Total		51	0	—		—		51	0
SC Freiburg	2013–14	Bundesliga	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	2014–15	Bundesliga	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	2015–16	2. Bundesliga	33	0	0	0	—		33	0
	2016–17	Bundesliga	34	0	1	0	—		35	0
	2017–18	Bundesliga	33	0	2	0	2 [a]	0	37	0
	2018–19	Bundesliga	33	0	2	0	–		35	0
	2019–20	Bundesliga	24	0	1	0	–		25	0
	Total		158	0	6	0	2	0	166	0
Arminia Bielefeld (loan)	2014–15	3. Liga	37	0	5	0	—		42	0
Hertha BSC	2020–21	Bundesliga	26	0	1	0	—		27	0
	2021–22	Bundesliga	25	0	3	0	—		28	0
	Total		51	0	4	0	—		55	0
Schalke 04 (loan)	2022–23	Bundesliga	23	0	2	0	—		25	0
Union Berlin	2023–24	Bundesliga	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	2024–25	Bundesliga	5	0	—		—		5	0
	Total		6	0	0	0	0	0	6	0
Career total			326	0	17	0	2	0	345	0

1. Appearances in the Europa League

Honours

Arminia Bielefeld ^[15]

• 3. Liga: 2014–15

SC Freiburg ^[15]

• 2. Bundesliga: 2015–16

References

1. "Alexander Schwolow | Hertha BSC | Bundesliga | 2021/22 | Spielerprofil". kicker (in German). Archived from the original on 28 October 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
2. Walsh, Jonathan (1 June 2015). "Schwolow returns to Freiburg". VAVEL. Archived from the original on 5 February 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
3. "Borussia Dortmund sign Swiss goalkeeper Roman Burki from Freiburg". the Guardian. 14 June 2015. Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
4. Koch, Julian (16 June 2014). "Arminia Bielefeld leiht Torhüter Alexander Schwolow aus". Liga 3 Online (in German). Archived from the original on 31 January 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
5. "Mainz 05 II vs. Arminia Bielefeld – 26 July 2014". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
6. "Arminia Bielefeld vs. Sandhausen – 17 August 2014". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
7. "Hertha BSC verpflichtet Alexander Schwolow". Hertha BSC (in German). 4 August 2020. Archived from the original on 26 April 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
8. "Doch kein Wechsel zu Schalke: Hertha BSC holt Freiburg-Keeper Alexander Schwolow". Sportbuzzer (in German). 4 August 2020. Archived from the original on 22 June 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
9. "Jarstein ist mit nach Montenegro geflogen". kicker (in German). 29 March 2021. Archived from the original on 29 March 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
10. "Englische Corona-Variante: Hertha-Keeper Rune Jarstein musste ins Krankenhaus". Sportbuzzer (in German). 16 April 2021. Archived from the original on 23 October 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
11. "Hertha-Sorgen wachsen: Diagnosen bei Schwolow und Stark da". kicker (in German). 5 April 2022. Archived from the original on 5 April 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
12. "Lotka fehlt Hertha auch in Hamburg". kicker (in German). 21 May 2022. Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
13. "Hertha BSC release Alexander Schwolow". Hertha BSC. 26 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
14. "Alexander Schwolow joins FC Schalke 04 on a season-long loan". FC Schalke 04 . 15 June 2022.
15. Alexander Schwolow at Soccerway