SV Elversberg midfielder Felix Keidel is set to emerge as one of the major surprises in Jürgen Klopp’s first Germany squad. The 23-year-old has played three Bundesliga matches in his career and has never previously represented Germany at any youth level. Keidel is nevertheless reportedly set to receive his first senior national-team call-up when Klopp officially announces his squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures.
On the surface, the nomination looks extraordinary. Those who followed Elversberg closely during the summer may be somewhat less surprised. Get German Football News identified Keidel as one of Elversberg’s clear winners from preseason camp before the club embarked upon its maiden Bundesliga campaign.
Keidel entered the summer viewed primarily as a useful full-back. By the end of camp, he had established himself alongside Łukasz Poręba in central midfield and supplied head coach Vincent Wagner with an answer to one of the promoted side’s biggest tactical questions. Three Bundesliga matchdays later, Keidel is on the verge of joining the senior Germany set-up.
Who is Felix Keidel?
Born in Duisburg on June 14, 2003, Keidel spent virtually his entire footballing development at FC Ingolstadt. The son of former Germany U21 international Ralf Keidel progressed through the Ingolstadt academy before breaking into senior football. He made his professional debut in February 2023 and ultimately accumulated 82 appearances in the 3. Liga, scoring twice.
Keidel left Ingolstadt for Elversberg in the summer of 2025 for a reported €400,000 transfer fee. His first season in Saarland proved decidedly uneven.
Keidel featured 25 times during Elversberg’s promotion-winning campaign and started 13 league matches, initially operating at either right-back or left-back. All 13 starts came during the first half of the season, however. Jan Gyamerah subsequently moved ahead of him in the hierarchy and Keidel spent much of the Rückrunde on the bench.
He was even omitted from the matchday squad twice during the decisive closing weeks of the promotion campaign. There had still been flashes. Keidel scored his first 2. Bundesliga goal in dramatic fashion during a 3-2 away victory over Karlsruhe in November 2025, coming off the bench to net a stoppage-time winner.
His more consequential breakthrough arrived the following summer.
Vincent Wagner returns Keidel to his roots
Keidel’s move into central midfield may initially have appeared to constitute a positional conversion. Wagner does not see it that way.
“Felix Keidel is a central player,” the Elversberg trainer explained ahead of the Bundesliga opener. “At some point in Ingolstadt, he ended up at full-back as an alternative position, but fundamentally he’s a central midfielder. Theoretically, he’s simply coming home now.”
An injury to Freddie Schmahl opened an opportunity during preseason. Keidel seized it quickly. That development had already become impossible to ignore by the time GGFN examined Elversberg in its 2026/27 tactical preview.
Keidel had buried a direct free kick against Strasbourg, supplied an assist against Lorient, and convinced Wagner that his running power, duel strength and positional awareness could balance Poręba in midfield. The verdict at the time was simple: Keidel entered camp as a useful full-back and left it looking like a Bundesliga starter.
Keidel’s running prowess and set pieces stand out
The first weeks of Bundesliga football have reinforced that assessment. Keidel averaged 12.18 kilometres across Elversberg’s opening three league matches, the highest figure in Wagner’s squad and among the stronger running numbers in the Bundesliga.
His coach believes that physical capacity is particularly valuable in the center.
“We need an incredible amount of running on the position, particularly during phases in which we’re chasing the ball more,” Wagner explained. “Felix can run an incredible amount and run quickly.”
There is more to Keidel’s profile than endurance. Wagner has repeatedly highlighted his ability with both feet, passing range and set-piece delivery. Keidel recorded two assists from corners last season and currently takes Elversberg’s corner kicks.
He has already demonstrated that quality spectacularly at Bundesliga level.
With Elversberg trailing Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-2 earlier this month, Keidel curled a direct free kick into the top corner to equalize. The newly-promoted side eventually completed a remarkable 4-3 comeback. GGFN covered the victory and Wagner’s praise for Elversberg’s fearless mentality.
What might Jürgen Klopp see in Keidel?
Versatility undoubtedly helps explain the surprise selection. Keidel can operate on either side of the defense and in multiple central-midfield roles. His running capacity offers obvious value in pressing and transition phases, while his set-piece quality provides another useful specialist trait.
More importantly, his early Bundesliga performances suggest that his role at Elversberg is bringing together qualities that were previously spread across different positions. Only months ago, Keidel had lost his starting place in the 2. Bundesliga. He entered the summer fighting simply to establish himself in Elversberg’s Bundesliga XI.
He won that fight.
Now, after three matches in the German top flight, Jürgen Klopp appears ready to take a closer look.
