Matthias Ginter has committed his future to SC Freiburg, signing a new contract with his boyhood club. The 32-year-old central defender returned from Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2022 and has again become one of Freiburg’s defining players. The club did not disclose the length of the extension.
Ginter made his Bundesliga debut for Freiburg in January 2012 and was once a regular in the children’s section at the old Dreisamstadion. “I grew up with SC and stood in the children’s block as a boy,” he said. “The club’s development is very special. We want to continue this shared success story and are extremely ambitious.”
Freiburg director Jochen Saier called the 51-cap Germany international “a pillar of our team”, pointing to both the level and consistency of his performances. Saier added that Ginter’s continued ambition has helped shape the side’s wider sporting progress.
Freiburg’s defensive reference point
Ginter remains Julian Schuster’s clear defensive leader this season. Freiburg are unbeaten in their first seven competitive matches, with the defender already supplying three Bundesliga assists and posting a 2.38 average rating. Last season also brought strong form, although he was not recalled for the World Cup in North America. Jürgen Klopp also left him out of his first Germany squad despite his regard for the player. Ginter described those omissions as one major disappointment rather than two separate ones.
Since returning to Breisgau, Ginter has played Europa League football three times with Freiburg and reached the competition’s final. This season, the club are in the Conference League. A push towards Champions League qualification would carry particular meaning for a player whose last appearance in the competition came with Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2020/21.
Across spells with Freiburg, Gladbach and Borussia Dortmund, Ginter has made 416 Bundesliga appearances and scored 25 goals. He has also played 44 times in the DFB Cup, scoring four goals, and has recorded 50 Europa League matches with four goals. His Champions League total stands at 21 appearances.
