Alexander Meyer

Successful season premiere at Borussia Dortmund

The 32-year-old goalkeeper has been under contract with Borussia Dortmund since July 2022. He previously played for Jahn Regensburg and appeared in 12 matches for BVB across all competitions by June 2023 (deadline for all information).

Alexander Meyer: Significantly more than a second goalkeeper

He played his first Champions League match before his first Bundesliga appearance. Meyer stood between the posts more often than expected in his first season in black and yellow: seven times in the league, five times in the premier class. ‘Alex is much more than a second goalkeeper. Whenever he was needed, he showed his skills at an extraordinarily high level. He is an absolute team player, a great footballer and a very reliable professional with life experience who gives a team calm and security,’ said sporting director Sebastian Kehl and offered the 32-year-old a new contract. Meyer signed and extended his contract early until 2025 in July 2023. ‘I know my role and what I'm getting myself into here. Nevertheless, I always try to give it my all. I have a good relationship with Gregor [Kobel], try to support him and want to be there when something happens. Then I want to show that you can rely on me. With the fans, it all has a completely different scope here than at my previous stations, of course, but I enjoy it when you see that no matter where we are, the Dortmund fans are there for us. That makes me proud,’ he said in an interview with bvb.de.

The start at HSV

Alexander Meyer grew up 50 kilometres north of Hamburg and has been a supporter of HSV since he was a child. His dream came true on his 14th birthday when he was invited to a trial training session, where he impressed and moved from the VfL Oldesloe U13s to the Hamburger SV U15s for the 2005/2006 season. In January 2009, he no longer threw balls to the professionals as a ball boy in the Volksparkstadion as he had done a few years previously, but caught them when he was allowed to take part in the winter training camp in Dubai as an U19.

Early setback for Alexander Meyer

Less than six months later, a serious setback followed when he had to take more than a year off due to a shoulder injury. In the meantime, his club had signed a replacement, meaning that Meyer only made ten appearances for HSV's U23s in the Regionalliga Nord from October 2010 to April 2012, his first two seasons in the senior squad. ‘I probably would have got my first professional contract at HSV if I hadn't injured my shoulder so badly,’ Meyer told Goalguard.

Incredible saves and unfortunate injuries

After seven years in Hamburg, the 1.95 metre tall goalkeeper moved to TSV Havelse for the 2012/13 season, remaining in the fourth division, but also had to fight his way back at his new club after 13 appearances in the first 13 match days: first a new shoulder injury, then a cruciate ligament rupture meant he only played one match from November 2012 to April 2014. Meyer was finally injury-free in 2014/15 and played in 33 of 34 matches this season. In 2016, he left Havelse after 93 Regionalliga appearances and signed for Energie Cottbus. He was also immediately the number one goalkeeper in Lusatia, but he also suffered a serious injury there and was out for six months.

On 13 August 2017, Energie Cottbus played against VfB Stuttgart in the DFB Cup. Although the long-standing Bundesliga club lost on penalties, it was thanks to Meyer's numerous saves (including a saved penalty) that they got that far. 14 days later, the goalkeeper played his last game for Cottbus as he was signed by VfB as number two behind Ron-Robert Zieler shortly before the end of the transfer window. Unfortunately, bad luck remained with him: in July 2018, he suffered a cruciate ligament rupture in training. At the end of the season, Bundesliga relegated VfB Stuttgart and its second keeper parted ways.

Alexander Meyer's style of play

But he had earned himself an excellent reputation despite frequent injury lay-offs. Meyer radiates calm and at the same time causes unrest for opponents with his physicality and presence. In his three seasons at Jahn Regensburg, where he had moved from Stuttgart, he made 94 second division appearances - only Heidenheim's Kevin Müller was between the posts more often during this time (100 games) - and conceded a total of just 135 goals, one every 68 minutes. In the 2020/21 season, he saved 74 per cent of the opponents' shots on goal, in the following season it was 69 per cent. He earned a reputation as the ‘penalty killer’. Of eleven penalties against Regensburg, the scorers were only able to convert six; Meyer saved three times. ‘He took this art of anticipation to the extreme in the 2020/21 season. In the cup, Jahn prevailed three times in a row in penalty shoot-outs - Meyer saved five penalties,’ reported the portal Spox.