How a teenage captain's late-night indiscretion reshaped a football career
In short: At just 18, Julian Weigl was already making history as the youngest captain for 1860 Munich. But a single night of drinking and negative comments about his club would cost him the armband and lead to a sudden suspension from the first team.
Julian Weigl's rise through the ranks of German football was marked by both precocious talent and sudden disciplinary setbacks. After making his professional debut for 1860 Munich in February 2014 against Ingolstadt 04, he quickly ascended to the captaincy during the 2014–15 season. However, his leadership was short-lived; following a night of drinking and disparaging remarks about the club, Weigl and three teammates—Vitus Eicher, Daniel Adlung, and Yannick Stark—were suspended and fined. The captaincy was subsequently handed to Christopher Schindler.
Despite this early controversy, Weigl's technical ability secured him a move to Borussia Dortmund in 2015. His time in Dortmund was a mixture of high-stakes success and physical adversity. He scored his first professional goal during a UEFA Champions League victory over Sporting CP, striking from outside the penalty area. However, his momentum was interrupted on 13 May 2017, when a fractured ankle during a match against FC Augsburg required surgery, sidelining him for several months.
Weigl's career eventually took him across Europe. In December 2019, Benfica reached a €20 million agreement with Dortmund to acquire him. After a loan spell at Borussia Mönchengladbach, which saw the club trigger a €7 million buyout clause in May 2023, Weigl eventually moved to the Saudi Pro League. On 1 September 2025, he joined Al-Qadsiah on a two-year contract, continuing a journey that began in the youth ranks of Munich.
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