Thomas Hitzlsperger on Courage, Belonging, and Leadership: What Companies Can Learn from His Story
“That half-year in Rome was truly hell.”
This is how Thomas Hitzlsperger describes his months at Lazio in an NDR podcast. He was a professional player in Serie A, but felt like he didn’t fit into the locker room culture. His teammates asked him about his wife and children, and he said he felt torn inside. The strain this put on him was even physical: during lunch, he would break out in a sweat from sheer inner tension. Telling the coach about his fears and his homosexuality wasn’t an option at the time.
A Career That Looked Flawless from the Outside
Yet his career read like a storybook. He was born in Munich in 1982, grew up in Forstinning in Upper Bavaria, and played for FC Bayern in the youth ranks. At 18, he moved to England to join Aston Villa, where the fans nicknamed him “The Hammer” because of his powerful left-footed shot. In 2005, he returned to VfB Stuttgart and won the German championship two years later, scoring a crucial goal on the final matchday. He also earned 52 caps for the national team and played for Lazio, West Ham, Wolfsburg, and Everton.
The man who was already writing before he came out
What is less well known is that Hitzlsperger had already taken a public stand even before he came out. As a young player, he wrote for “Störungsmelder,” a blog by “Die Zeit” against antisemitism and right-wing extremism. He was inspired by a memory from his time as a trialist at Celtic Glasgow: During a friendly match in Germany, a dark-skinned teammate had been subjected to repeated racist insults, and no one had spoken up. He refused to accept this indifference. In 2011, he received the DFB’s Julius Hirsch Honorary Award for his writing, which he now counts among the most valuable honors of his career.
Why the timing was a matter of strength for him
On January 8, 2014, shortly after the end of his professional career, Hitzlsperger publicly came out as gay in an interview with “Die Zeit”, becoming the first German professional soccer player to do so. He later explained in detail why he did not do so while still an active player.
In his view, coming out should happen from a position of strength; he was concerned that the turmoil might weigh on the team, and experts advised against it at the time. Today, he sees no flaw in that decision. The reactions were almost universally marked by understanding and encouragement, and he draws a clear conclusion: “I have gained something that could not be greater or more significant: freedom and independence.”
From Critic to Change-Maker
Hitzlsperger did not stop at the role of a voice of warning. He wanted to prove that there is a place for an openly gay man even in the highest positions in soccer. “I don’t want to complain about the industry from the outside,” he told the Goethe-Institut, and so he chose to work from within. At VfB Stuttgart, he initially headed the youth academy, became sporting director in February 2019, and later served as CEO until 2022. Today, he appears as an expert on ARD,
Sky, the BBC, and ESPN; he is a co-owner of the Danish club Aalborg BK and a restaurateur in London. In 2024, his book Mutproben (Tests of Courage), which he co-wrote with Holger Gertz, was published.
What kinds of events is Thomas Hitzlsperger suited for?
His keynote speeches are ideal for any setting where culture is a key theme—specifically, addressing whether people feel a sense of belonging within an organization and, as a result, speak openly, take risks, and choose to stay. This applies to events on diversity and inclusion as well as executive conferences on leadership and management, or sessions focused on team building and cultural transformation. Hitzlsperger speaks German and English and can translate topics from elite sports into the language of executive boards and teams. He sums up his philosophy as follows: “It pays to be open—and not to pigeonhole people.”
More openness in your organisation? Bring Thomas Hitzlsperger to your stage. Check his availability now by email at thomas.hitzlsperger@premium-speakers.com or by phone at 1 (704) 804 1054
Frequently Asked Questions about Thomas Hitzlsperger
He is a former German national soccer player who won the German championship with VfB Stuttgart in 2007, later served as the club’s CEO, and today appears as a soccer analyst for ARD, Sky, the BBC, and ESPN.
Diversity and inclusion, leadership, change management, and team building—all from the perspective of a former national team player and Bundesliga CEO.
Hitzlsperger knows professional soccer from both sides: As a player, he made 52 international appearances; later, he led VfB Stuttgart as sporting director and CEO. For his commitment to combating racism and anti-Semitism, he received the DFB’s Julius Hirsch Honorary Award in 2011; in 2014, he became the first German professional soccer player to publicly come out as gay.
In German and English.
By submitting a request to Premium Speakers; we will advise on dates and formats.