* Club domestic league appearances and goalsas of 17:30, 17 May 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 18:53, 14 November 2021 (UTC)
Maximilian Arnold (born 27 May 1994) is a German professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg, which he captains. An academy graduate of Wolfsburg, Arnold became the club's youngest ever debutant in 2011 and has since made over 300 league appearances for the club.
Born in Riesa, Germany, Arnold represented local sides BSV Strehla and SC Riesa during his formative years.[4] In 2006, at the age of 12, he left Riesa to join the academy of Dynamo Dresden where he spent the next four years before signing for VfL Wolfsburg.[4] During his time with Wolfsburg's youth sides he helped the club to two German U-19 championships; in 2009 and 2011.[5]
Arnold was handed his first-team debut by Felix Magath on 26 November 2011 when he came on as a late substitute in a 2–0 loss against FC Augsburg. Upon appearing, Arnold became the club's youngest ever debutant at the age of 17 years, five months and 30 days.[5][6] However, he spent the majority of the season with the U-19 team and made only one further senior appearance for the remainder of the campaign.[4]
After continuing to impress at youth level, Arnold returned to the first team in 2013 under new manager Dieter Hecking.[4] On 13 April, he scored his first professional goal in a 2–2 home draw against 1899 Hoffenheim. By doing so, Arnold also became the club's youngest ever goalscorer.[4][5] He scored again the following week in a 3–0 victory against Werder Bremen, which helped end a streak of five matches without a victory for Wolfsburg.[7] Following a run of two goals in six matches, Arnold signed an extended four-year contract with the club.[8]
First team breakthrough and Cup success
Arnold (bottom row, second from right) prior to Wolfsburg's Champions League match against CSKA Moscow in 2015
The following season, Arnold started in the opening match against Hannover but was sent off after just thirty minutes. He subsequently lost his place in his club and had to wait months before returning. However, upon his return, Arnold scored four goals in five matches to help the club qualify for the following season's Europa League.[9] Arnold's form throughout the season caught the attention of German national team coach Joachim Löw who eventually handed him his first senior call-up.[10][11] He carried his form into the 2014–15 season where Wolfsburg ended as runners-up to Bayern Munich and won the DFB Pokal after beating Borussia Dortmund 3–1.[12][13]
By virtue of the club's league position the season before and success in the DFB-Pokal, Wolfsburg took part in the 2015 DFL-Supercup and 2015–16 UEFA Champions League campaigns. On 1 August 2015, Arnold started and played the whole match as Wolfsburg beat Bayern Munich on penalties to claim the Supercup title.[14] He then made his Champions League debut on 15 September 2015, coming as a substitute for André Schürrle in a 1–0 win over CSKA Moscow.[15] He scored his first goal in the competition in April the following year, netting Wolfsburg's second in a 2–0 home victory against Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.[16] However, Wolfsburg failed to progress, as a hat-trick from Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo in the second leg saw the club eliminated from the competition.[17] Arnold eventually scored four goals in 43 appearances across all competitions as Wolfsburg ended the league season in eighth position.[18]
Wolfsburg struggled during the course of the next two seasons. During the 2016–17 campaign, Arnold scored twice, including one against Hoffenheim in the first match of the Rückrunde as Wolfsburg almost avoided relegation.[19] Wolfsburg ultimately had to defeat Eintracht Braunschweig in the relegation play-off to maintain their spot in the German top-flight.[20] The club again fought relegation the following season and towards the end of the campaign, Arnold and teammates Max Grün and Paul Verhaegh had to try and appease the club's disgruntled supporters following a 3–1 defeat against fellow relegation-threatening opponent, Hamburg.[21] Despite the club's weakness, Arnold had enjoyed some personal success earlier in the season. On 3 January 2018, he signed a new five-year contract with Wolfsburg and later that month scored a contender for goal of the season with a long-range free-kick in a 3–1 loss against Eintracht Frankfurt.[22][23]
On 23 November 2019, Arnold made his 200th Bundesliga appearance for Wolfsburg and marked the occasion with an assist for Wout Weghorst's goal in the club's 2–0 victory against Eintracht Frankfurt.[24]
Between 2009 and 2017, Arnold represented Germany at every youth level. In 2017, he served as captain the U-21 team to the title at the 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Poland. Arnold recorded two assists and scored his spot-kick in a penalty shoot-out victory against England in the semi-finals, as Germany went on to claim their second title with another victory, this time against Spain. His performances throughout the tournament ultimately earned him a spot in the team of the tournament.[25]
Arnold was named as one of the three permitted overage players in Germany's squad for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, eventually being selected as captain.[26][27] Arnold would be sent off in the opening match of the tournament, a 4-2 defeat against Brazil.[28]
Senior
On 13 May 2014, Arnold made his debut against Poland, but played only the last 14 minutes after replacing Max Meyer.[29]
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