Fußballclub Gelsenkirchen-Schalke 04 e. V., commonly known as FC Schalke 04, Schalke 04, or abbreviated as S04, is a professional German football and multi-sports club originally from the Schalke district of Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia. The "04" in the club's name derives from its formation in 1904. Schalke have been one of the most popular professional football teams in Germany, even though the club's heyday was in the 1930s and 1940s. Schalke have played in the Bundesliga, the top tier of the German football league system, since 2022, following promotion from the 2. Bundesliga in 2021–22. As of 2022, the club has 160,000 members, making it the second-largest football club in Germany and the fourth-largest club in the world in terms of membership. Other activities offered by the club include athletics, basketball, handball, table tennis, winter sports and eSports.
Gerald Asamoah is a German football manager and former professional player who works as the first-team manager of Schalke 04.
Victor Okechukwu Agali is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a forward.
Dirk Jan Klaas "Klaas-Jan" Huntelaar is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a striker.
Sven Vermant is a Belgian former professional football manager and former player who played as a midfielder. He is best known for his spells at Club Brugge and FC Schalke 04.
Jörg Böhme is a German former footballer who played as midfielder, and who most recently was the manager of Energie Cottbus.
Levan Kobiashvili is a Georgian former professional footballer and the current president of the Georgian Football Federation and a member of Parliament of Georgia.
Marcelo José Bordon is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as a centre-back. He is mostly known for his time in Germany, playing for Bundesliga teams VfB Stuttgart and Schalke 04. Since 2016, he is managing Rio Branco-SP.
Gustavo Antonio Varela Rodríguez is a Uruguayan former footballer. He was a versatile right sided player who also could "be played as a lone striker, behind the front two" or at the heart of midfield.
Octavio Darío Rodríguez Peña is a Uruguayan former footballer who last played as a centre-back or lef-back for Peñarol. He was capped 51 times for the Uruguay national team.
Alcides Eduardo Mendes de Araújo Alves, known simply as Alcides, is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as either a right back or a central defender.
Filip Trojan is a Czech former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He coaches Dynamo Dresden's U-14 side.
Frank Rost is a German former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.
Simon Cziommer is a German former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.
Michael Delura is a German former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.
Benedikt Höwedes is a German former professional footballer who played as a defender. He spent the majority of his playing career for Schalke 04, which he captained for six seasons, and represented the Germany national football team from 2011 to 2017. At international level, Höwedes won the World Cup with Germany in 2014, and was one of only three players to play every single minute of the tournament. Höwedes described himself as a 'multi-functional player' in the defence, who can play in the centre or as both a left or right-sided full back.
Jochen Seitz is a German former footballer who played as a right midfielder or right-back.
Thomas Kläsener is a German former professional footballer who played as a defender.
Tim Klaus Hoogland is a retired German footballer who last played as a defender or midfielder for Australian A-League club Melbourne Victory FC.
Julian Draxler is a German professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Primeira Liga club Benfica, on loan from Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain, and the Germany national team. Draxler is known for his ability to use both feet, his speed, and the power of his shot.
