Team

Yussuf Poulsen ist neuer HSV-Kapitän

The summer signing has been named as the Rothosen’s new team captain, with Jonas Meffert and Nicolas Capaldo set to serve as the 31-year-old’s vice-captains.

It’s official: Hamburger SV have a new captain. Centre-forward Yussuf Poulsen will lead the Rothosen on the pitch in the 2025/26 season, assuming the captaincy from teammate Sebastian Schonlau. HSV head coach Merlin Polzin made the announcement to his squad on Friday (15th August). Meanwhile, Jonas Meffert and Nicolas Capaldo have been named as the team’s vice-captains. Poulsen’s appointment sees the Dane become HSV’s 32nd captain since the founding of the Bundesliga in 1963.

“The captain has a crucial role on the pitch. He’s in charge of communicating with the referee, and can make demands on behalf of the team. Within the coaching staff, we discussed who could take on this responsibility going forward. In the end, we decided on Yussuf on account of his impressive sense of responsibility and wealth of experience. In addition, his commitment as a professional is unquestionable. Of course, my expectation remains that everyone contributes and takes responsibility for one another,” said Polzin on his decision, before adding: “We would like to sincerely thank Sebastian Schonlau for his service as captain. He fulfilled the role in the past few years excellently.”

"I’m really looking forward to it"

Yussuf Poulsen made the move to Hamburg from RB Leipzig just this summer. “It means a lot to me, that the coach and the team are giving me such a huge responsibility at the beginning of my time here. I want to give this role everything I’ve got,” explained the veteran forward, who has already made over 500 competitive appearances since his making his professional debut in 2011. In 12 years at Leipzig, Poulsen made over 425 appearances for RBL, playing a key part in the club’s rise from a third-division side to Bundesliga mainstay, as well as winning the DFB-Pokal back-to-back in 2022 and 2023. In this time, the Denmark international also served as vice-captain several times under various Leipzig head coaches. “I understand the role and I’m really looking forward to it. At the same time, I understand that I’ve got huge shoes to fill. I still look at Sebastian as a leader in the team; he’s a huge part of this club, both on the pitch and in the dressing room.”

Central-defender Schonlau was also named captain upon his arrival at HSV in 2021, and has held the role for the previous four seasons. Talking about the decision, he said: “Representing HSV as a leader on the pitch was always something very special for me. I have always tried to represent the club’s values on and off the pitch in every situation. From getting to know Yussi in his first few weeks with us, I’m certain that he’ll be a great captain. Along with Meffo and Capi, I will support him and the team as best as I can.”

As the new HSV captain will miss tomorrow’s DFB-Pokal tie in Pirmasens due to a minor hamstring injury, either Meffert or Capaldo will lead the team on the pitch.