Update: Jonas Wirth breaks Umut Gültekin's winning streak

After four wins in a row, it's over: Umut Gültekin came in second in the Kicker eFootballer of the Year vote. The new eFootballer of the Year is Jonas Wirth from VfL Bochum.

Jonas Wirth put in an extraordinary performance this season. He won both the German individual championship of the Virtual Bundesliga (VBL) and the VBL Club Championship with VfL Bochum. He was also the first German to win the European eChampions League.

"Jonas Wirth's outstanding triple season clearly won the vote of the community and editorial team. Especially in comparison to the series award winner Umut Gültekin, he has had a significantly more titled playing time. We are proud of how well the scene is developing and, in addition to Gültekin, how the Virtual Bundesliga talent pool is producing internationally successful e-athletes. Congratulations to our seventh eFootballer of the Year!", says Holm Kräusche, head of the eSport department at kicker.

Original news from November 8, 2024

Voting for Germany's eFootballer of the Year Started

**The German football magazine kicker is once again looking for the eFootballer of the Year. The shortlist that has now been presented includes a first: a player from the Football Manager series has been nominated for the first time. **

Voting by the community, which this year may have a decisive influence on the choice of eFootballer of the Year, is now underway. As in previous years, the election is being organized by the editorial team of the established German football magazine “kicker” and Nicole Lange, the product manager responsible for eSports there.

She says: "We are delighted to be awarding the kicker eFootballer of the Year again this year. We are excited to see who we will be able to present with the award at the end."

The election will be held from a shortlist of five esports players specializing in football. This year will see a premiere: Sven Goly, a Football Manager player, is on the shortlist for the first time. Goly and his assistant Terry Whenett “only” came second at the first “FIFAe World Cup of Football Manager”, but their performance impressed the jury.

However, the competition should not be underestimated. Also nominated are Jonas Wirth from VfL Bochum, Anders Vejrgang, Levy Finn Rieck and Umut Gültekin. Gültekin has won the competition for the last four years in a row and, as the reigning DFB ePokal champion, is of course one of the favorites again this year.