Thomas Hitzlsperger

Thomas Hitzlsperger (born 5 April 1982) is a German football executive and former professional player who played as a midfielder. He is currently a board member at Serie B club Hellas Verona. As a player, Hitzlsperger spent the early part of his career with Aston Villa in England, before returning to Germany to play for Stuttgart, where he was a member of the team which won the Bundesliga in 2007. In 2010, he signed for Italian side Lazio, before moving back to England to join West Ham United later that year. He then had brief spells with Wolfsburg and Everton. Hitzlsperger also represented the Germany national team, earning 52 caps and being selected for the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008. Following a series of injuries, he retired from football in September 2013. After his retirement, he came out as gay, the highest-profile male footballer in the world to do so. In February 2019, Hitzlsperger was appointed head of sport at VfB Stuttgart, later rising to the position of CEO. He stepped down from this role in March 2022. In 2025, he joined Hellas Verona as a board member.