Pride of Gelsenkirchen. FC Schalke 04 captain, Benedikt Höwedes, has extended his current deal with André Breitenreiter's side until late June 2020.
Delighted Deal
Sporting director Horst Heldt described the signing, "We’re delighted that Benedikt has taken this step, as it is a sign of real commitment to Schalke 04 from a leading player."
He reflected, "It shows that he has faith in our plans, in which he plays an important role as team captain and defensive stalwart."
The centre-back spoke openly of the deal. "My heart was thumping when I put pen to paper."
He passionately explains what it means to him, "Schalke 04 is a great club with amazing fans, a club I am thankful to for developing me as a youth player in the Knappenschmiede academy, giving me the opportunity to make my breakthrough in the Bundesliga as a youngster and handing me the role of captain early on."
Höwedes added, "We have a young team full of potential and ambition. I want to continue shaping its future."
Loyal Blues
Benedikt Höwedes is a fine example of total unwavering loyalty to a club he considers home. Ever since joining Schalke's youth academy from local club, TuS Haltern, the World Cup winner has went from strength-to-strength. Captaining Schalke's Under-19 team in 2003 before going on to captain the senior team 10 years after he partook in the Knappenschmiede academy, Höwedes had always personified the industrial nature of Gelsenkirchen with his hard-working ethics and passionate displays.
This is now the fourth time Höwedes has extended his contract with Schalke, the last time being in March 2013 and he will surely hope to upgrade on his DFB-Pokal 2010/11 winning achievement, just like he did by winning the UEFA European Under-21 Championship before winning the World Cup in 2014. This season, Höwedes has made just 17 appearances, in all competitions, but is out for several months with a bad hamstring injury.
If one thing can be said for this contract extension, it's that Schalke have a real boost in tying their only World Cup winner down for the foreseeable future.