The (VDV) is the professional footballer's union in Germany. As of 2026, it has approximately 1400 members playing in the German professional leagues. Junior footballers at the beginning of their professional careers can also be members from the age of fifteen. Footballers who have been playing abroad or have retired can remain members.
History The union was founded on 15 June 1987 in Offenbach am Main by the former professional footballers Benno Möhlmann, Ewald Lienen and Frank Pagelsdorf, together with colleagues including Guido Buchwald, Florian Gothe, Charly Körbel and Bruno Labbadia. The goal of the union was to work in the interest of the players. Especially important at that time were work and contract conditions, the independence of players, and the democratisation of German professional football. In general, the goal is to give footballers a common voice towards clubs and associations.
Presidents
1987–1992: Benno Möhlmann 1992–1994: Stefan Lottermann 1994–1996 Jürgen Rollmann 1996–1997 Benno Möhlmann 1997–1999: Jürgen Sparwasser 1999–present: Florian Gothe
Awards Voted by professional footballers in the union, the VDV Silver Boot is awarded to the best player of the season, the VDV Silver Arrow is awarded to the best newcomer of the season, while the VDV Silver Bench is awarded to the best coach of the season.
Silver Boot (Player of the Season) 1998–2003 YearPlayerClubRef.1998 Bayern Munich1999 2000 2001 2003
2006–present SeasonPlayerClubRef.2005–06 Werder Bremen2006–07 DiegoWerder Bremen2007–08 Bayern Munich2008–09 GrafiteVfL Wolfsburg 2009–10 Bayern Munich 2010–11 Borussia Dortmund 2011–12 Borussia Mönchengladbach 2012–13 Borussia Dortmund 2013–14 Borussia Dortmund 2014–15 VfL Wolfsburg 2015–16 Borussia Dortmund 2016–17 Bayern Munich 2017–18 Bayern Munich 2018–19 Borussia Dortmund 2019–20 Bayern Munich 2020–21 Bayern Munich 2021–22 RB Leipzig 2022–23 Borussia Dortmund 2023–24 Bayer Leverkusen 2024–25 Bayer Leverkusen 2025–26 Bayern Munich
Silver Arrow (Newcomer of the Season) SeasonPlayerClubRef.2009–10 Bayern Munich2010–11 Borussia Dortmund2011–12 Bayern Munich2012–13 SC Freiburg2013–14 FC Augsburg2014–15 Schalke 042015–16 Borussia Dortmund2016–17 Borussia Dortmund2017–18 Bayer Leverkusen2018–19 Borussia Dortmund2019–20 Bayern Munich2020–21 Borussia Dortmund2021–22 Bayer Leverkusen2022–23 Eintracht Frankfurt2023–24 VfB Stuttgart2024–25 VfB Stuttgart2025–26 RB Leipzig
Silver Bench (Coach of the Season) SeasonCoachClubRef.2009–10 Bayern Munich2010–11 Borussia Dortmund2011–12 Borussia Mönchengladbach2012–13 Bayern Munich2013–14 FC Augsburg2014–15 VfL Wolfsburg2015–16 Borussia Dortmund2016–17 TSG Hoffenheim2017–18 Bayern Munich2018–19 Eintracht Frankfurt2019–20 Bayern Munich2020–21 Eintracht Frankfurt2021–22 SC Freiburg2022–23 Union Berlin2023–24 Bayer Leverkusen2024–25 Mainz 052025–26 Bayern Munich
Team of the Season 2008–09
PositionPlayerClubGoalkeeper Robert Enke Hannover 96Defenders Andreas Beck TSG Hoffenheim Lúcio Bayern Munich Josip Šimunić Hertha BSC Philipp Lahm Bayern MunichMidfielders Zvjezdan Misimović VfL Wolfsburg Zé Roberto Bayern Munich Franck Ribéry Diego Werder BremenForwards Grafite VfL Wolfsburg Mario Gómez VfB Stuttgart
2009–10
PositionPlayerClubGoalkeeper Manuel Neuer Schalke 04Defenders Philipp Lahm Bayern Munich Sami Hyypiä Bayer Leverkusen Mats Hummels Borussia Dortmund Dennis Aogo Hamburger SVMidfielders Arjen Robben Bayern Munich Bastian Schweinsteiger Toni Kroos Thomas Müller Forwards Edin Džeko VfL Wolfsburg Stefan Kießling Bayer Leverkusen
2010–11
PositionPlayerClubGoalkeeper Manuel Neuer Schalke 04Defenders Philipp Lahm Bayern Munich Neven Subotić Borussia Dortmund Mats Hummels Marcel Schmelzer Midfielders Arjen Robben Bayern Munich Nuri Şahin Borussia Dortmund Arturo Vidal Bayer Leverkusen Mario Götze Borussia DortmundForwards Papiss Cissé SC Freiburg Mario Gómez Bayern Munich
2011–12
PositionPlayerClubGoalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen Borussia MönchengladbachDefenders Łukasz Piszczek Borussia Dortmund Dante Borussia Mönchengladbach Mats Hummels Borussia Dortmund Philipp Lahm Bayern MunichMidfielders Marco Reus Borussia Mönchengladbach David Alaba Bayern Munich Franck Ribéry Shinji Kagawa Borussia DortmundForwards Mario Gómez Bayern Munich Klaas-Jan Huntelaar Schalke 04
2012–13
PositionPlayerClub Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer Bayern MunichDefenders Philipp Lahm Mats Hummels Borussia Dortmund Dante Bayern Munich David Alaba Midfielders Mario Götze Borussia Dortmund Bastian Schweinsteiger Bayern Munich İlkay Gündoğan Borussia Dortmund Franck Ribéry Bayern MunichForwards Mario Mandžukić Robert Lewandowski Borussia Dortmund
2013–14
PositionPlayerClubGoalkeeper Manuel NeuerBayern MunichDefenders Philipp LahmBayern Munich Mats HummelsBorussia Dortmund DanteBayern Munich David AlabaMidfielders Arjen Robben Thiago Franck Ribéry Marco ReusBorussia DortmundForwards Mario MandžukićBayern Munich Robert LewandowskiBorussia Dortmund
2014–15
PositionPlayerClubGoalkeeper Manuel NeuerBayern MunichDefenders VieirinhaVfL Wolfsburg Naldo Jérôme BoatengBayern Munich Juan BernatMidfielders Arjen Robben Granit XhakaBorussia Mönchengladbach David AlabaBayern Munich Kevin De BruyneVfL WolfsburgForwards Alexander MeierEintracht Frankfurt Robert LewandowskiBayern Munich
2015–16
PositionPlayerClubGoalkeeper Manuel NeuerBayern MunichDefenders Philipp Lahm Mats HummelsBorussia Dortmund Jérôme BoatengBayern Munich David AlabaMidfielders Henrikh MkhitaryanBorussia Dortmund Arturo VidalBayern Munich Douglas Costa Thomas MüllerForwards Pierre-Emerick AubameyangBorussia Dortmund Robert LewandowskiBayern Munich
2016–17
PositionPlayerClubGoalkeeper Manuel NeuerBayern MunichDefenders Philipp Lahm Mats Hummels Niklas SüleTSG Hoffenheim David AlabaBayern MunichMidfielders Ousmane DembéléBorussia Dortmund ThiagoBayern Munich Emil ForsbergRB Leipzig Naby KeïtaForwards Pierre-Emerick AubameyangBorussia Dortmund Robert LewandowskiBayern Munich
2017–18 PositionPlayerClubGoalkeeper Sven UlreichBayern MunichDefenders Joshua Kimmich NaldoSchalke 04 Mats HummelsBayern Munich Philipp MaxFC AugsburgMidfielders James RodríguezBayern Munich Naby KeïtaRB Leipzig Javi MartínezBayern Munich Leon BaileyBayer LeverkusenForwards Thomas MüllerBayern Munich Robert Lewandowski
2018–19
PositionPlayerClubGoalkeeper Péter GulácsiRB LeipzigDefenders Joshua KimmichBayern Munich Makoto HasebeEintracht Frankfurt Niklas SüleBayern Munich Nico SchulzTSG HoffenheimMidfielders Axel WitselBorussia Dortmund Jadon Sancho Marco Reus Kai HavertzBayer LeverkusenForwards Luka JovićEintracht Frankfurt Robert LewandowskiBayern Munich
2019–20
Position Player Club Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer Bayern Munich Defenders David Alaba Alphonso Davies Mats Hummels Borussia Dortmund Achraf Hakimi Midfielders Kai Havertz Bayer Leverkusen Joshua Kimmich Bayern Munich Jadon Sancho Borussia Dortmund Forwards Erling Haaland Robert Lewandowski Bayern Munich Timo Werner RB Leipzig
2020–21
Position Player Club Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer Bayern Munich Defenders Alphonso Davies David Alaba Dayot Upamecano RB Leipzig Mats Hummels Borussia Dortmund Midfielders Filip Kostić Eintracht Frankfurt Thomas Müller Bayern Munich Joshua Kimmich Leon Goretzka Forwards Robert Lewandowski Erling Haaland Borussia Dortmund
2021–22
Position Player Club Goalkeeper Mark Flekken SC Freiburg Defenders David Raum TSG Hoffenheim Nico Schlotterbeck SC Freiburg Niklas Süle Bayern Munich Joshua Kimmich Midfielders Patrik Schick Bayer Leverkusen Jude Bellingham Borussia Dortmund Christopher Nkunku RB Leipzig Florian Wirtz Bayer Leverkusen Forwards Robert Lewandowski Bayern Munich Erling Haaland Borussia Dortmund
2022–23
Position Player Club Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel Borussia Dortmund Defenders Joško Gvardiol RB Leipzig Matthijs de Ligt Bayern Munich Dayot Upamecano Jeremie Frimpong Bayer Leverkusen Midfielders Alphonso Davies Bayern Munich Joshua Kimmich Jamal Musiala Jude Bellingham Borussia Dortmund Forwards Randal Kolo Muani Eintracht Frankfurt Niclas Füllkrug Werder Bremen
2023–24
Position Player Club Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel Borussia Dortmund Defenders Álex Grimaldo Bayer Leverkusen Jonathan Tah Waldemar Anton VfB Stuttgart Jeremie Frimpong Bayer Leverkusen Midfielders Jamal Musiala Bayern Munich Granit Xhaka Bayer Leverkusen Florian Wirtz Xavi Simons RB Leipzig Forwards Serhou Guirassy VfB Stuttgart Harry Kane Bayern Munich
2024–25
Position Player Club Goalkeeper Finn Dahmen FC Augsburg Defenders Nico Schlotterbeck Borussia Dortmund Jonathan Tah Bayer Leverkusen Dayot Upamecano Bayern Munich Joshua Kimmich Midfielders Granit Xhaka Bayer Leverkusen Jamal Musiala Bayern Munich Florian Wirtz Bayer Leverkusen Nadiem Amiri Mainz 05 Forwards Harry Kane Bayern Munich Michael Olise
2025–26
Position Player Club Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer Bayern Munich Defenders Nico Schlotterbeck Borussia Dortmund Dayot Upamecano Bayern Munich Jonathan Tah Midfielders Álex Grimaldo Bayer Leverkusen Joshua Kimmich Bayern Munich Konrad Laimer Forwards Luis Díaz Deniz Undav VfB Stuttgart Michael Olise Bayern Munich Harry Kane
Notes
References
External links