# Michael Hefele

Michael Martin Hefele (German:; born 1 September 1990) is a German former professional footballer who played as a centre-back. He is now an assistant manager at Al Riyadh SC.

## Career
### In Germany

Hefele made his debut for SpVgg Unterhaching in 2010. He went on to play for SpVgg Greuther Fürth and was on loan at Wacker Burghausen. He played two seasons for Dynamo Dresden scoring ten times in 72 appearances in all competitions and became the club captain.

### Huddersfield Town

In July 2016, Hefele joined English Championship side Huddersfield Town Hefele scored his first goal for Huddersfield in a 1–1 draw with Aston Villa on 16 August 2016, just 26 seconds after coming off the bench, a Huddersfield record for the quickest time scored by a debutante in the club's 108-year history. On 28 January 2017, in a game against Rochdale, Hefele was substituted on as a striker in the 46th minute, coming on for Elias Kachunga. He then scored two goals as striker. Eight days later, on 5 February 2017, Hefele scored the winning goal in the 89th minute in a 2–1 victory against Leeds United.

### Nottingham Forest

On 9 August 2018, Hefele joined English Championship side Nottingham Forest for an undisclosed fee. He made his debut for Forest on 14 August 2018 in the first round of the 2018–19 EFL Cup against Bury. The game finished 1–1 after 90 minutes with Forest going through to the second round 10–9 on penalties, one of which Hefele scored for Forest. Hefele was frozen out of the Forest first team squad, making his last appearance for the club on 1 January 2019. He saw out his contract and was officially released at the end of the 2020–21 season.
On 25 July 2021, Hefele announced his retirement from playing professional football due to "medical reasons".

## Post-retirement

On 26 July 2021, one day after announcing his retirement, he rejoined Huddersfield Town in a newly created role combining coaching with hospitality and ambassadorial roles at the club. On 23 December 2022 he joined Carlos Corberán at West Bromwich Albion in a First Team Assistant Coach role under Corberán.

## Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | League cup | League cup | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| SpVgg Unterhaching | 2010–11 | 3. Liga | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 27 | 0 |
| SpVgg Unterhaching | 2011–12 | 3. Liga | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 6 | 1 |
| SpVgg Unterhaching | Total | Total | 33 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 1 |
| Greuther Fürth II | 2012–13 | Regionalliga Bayern | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 0 |
| Greuther Fürth II | 2013–14 | Regionalliga Bayern | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 0 |
| Greuther Fürth II | Total | Total | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Greuther Fürth | 2012–13 | Bundesliga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Greuther Fürth | 2013–14 | 2. Bundesliga | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| Greuther Fürth | Total | Total | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Wacker Burghausen (loan) | 2013–14 | 3. Liga | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 15 | 0 |
| Dynamo Dresden | 2014–15 | 3. Liga | 31 | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 34 | 3 |
| Dynamo Dresden | 2015–16 | 3. Liga | 38 | 7 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 38 | 7 |
| Dynamo Dresden | Total | Total | 69 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 72 | 10 |
| Huddersfield Town | 2016–17 | Championship | 37 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 42 | 5 |
| Huddersfield Town | 2017–18 | Premier League | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Huddersfield Town | Total | Total | 39 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 48 | 5 |
| Nottingham Forest | 2018–19 | Championship | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 0 |
| Nottingham Forest | 2019–20 | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Nottingham Forest | Total | Total | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 187 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 202 | 16 |

## Honours

Huddersfield Town
* EFL Championship play-offs: 2017