54 Facts About Jens Lehmann

Jens Gerhard Lehmann is a German former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Jens Lehmann was a member of Arsenal's "Invincibles", playing every match of their unbeaten title-winning season.

Jens Lehmann holds the UEFA Champions League record for the most consecutive clean sheets, not conceding a single goal in eight consecutive full matches while he played for Arsenal.

Jens Lehmann has the highest number of continuous minutes without conceding goals.

Jens Lehmann's second goal was a last-minute equaliser scored against bitter rivals, Borussia Dortmund, in the Revierderby on 19 December 1997.

Jens Lehmann became Schalke's team hero in their 1997 UEFA Cup Final victory over Inter Milan, after playing a strong season and saving an Ivan Zamorano penalty in a penalty shootout.

In one game Gabriel Batistuta scored a hat-trick against him, including a goal from a free kick in the box which Jens Lehmann had conceded by handling a back pass.

In early 1999, Jens Lehmann returned to Germany to play for Borussia Dortmund replacing long-time goalkeeper Stefan Klos.

Jens Lehmann had a difficult start there after several poor performances.

Rumors arose that Jens Lehmann might leave, with supporters viewing him critically.

Jens Lehmann played a significant part in the club's return to the upper echelons of German and European football.

Around this time, Jens Lehmann developed a reputation for his poor disciplinary record.

Jens Lehmann currently holds the record for most red cards for any Borussia Dortmund player, and the record for most red cards for a goalkeeper in the German Bundesliga.

Jens Lehmann was replaced by Roman Weidenfeller and Guillaume Warmuz, who had just left Arsenal.

Jens Lehmann joined Arsenal on 25 July 2003 replacing the recently departed David Seaman.

Jens Lehmann played every match in Arsenal's unbeaten season, though his swashbuckling playing style did lead to occasional mistakes.

For example, in the title-winning match at local rivals Tottenham Hotspur, Jens Lehmann pushed Tottenham striker Robbie Keane as the pair waited for a Tottenham corner.

Jens Lehmann committed an error that led to the equalising goal in Arsenal's Champions League defeat at home to Chelsea the same season.

However, Almunia made a series of mistakes during several games, thus allowing Jens Lehmann to regain his position.

Jens Lehmann was a key factor in his side's first-ever accession to the Champions League final; during their run Arsenal broke the record for the most consecutive clean sheets in the Champions League with ten, breaking the record of seven that Milan had set just one year before.

The final clean sheet was earned in the semi-finals against Villarreal, after Jens Lehmann saved an 89th minute Juan Roman Riquelme penalty.

Jens Lehmann subsequently had to wait nearly four months to make another competitive appearance for Arsenal, which came in their final Champions League group match against Steaua Bucharest.

Jens Lehmann expressed frustration at being number two to Manuel Almunia fearing it could cost him the number one jersey in the Germany national team for the European Championship 2008.

Jens Lehmann was given a standing ovation after the match as he bowed and clapped to the fans.

In early June 2008, it was announced that Jens Lehmann had signed a one-year contract for VfB Stuttgart.

Jens Lehmann joined the team's pre-season training on 24 July 2008, and made his debut for the club on 30 July 2008 in a friendly match against former team Arsenal.

On 3 April 2009, Jens Lehmann extended his contract at VfB Stuttgart until the summer of 2010 and announced in August 2009 that he would retire on 30 June 2010.

On 14 March 2011, German tabloid Bild reported that Jens Lehmann was in talks to come out of retirement, due to an injury crisis at Arsenal leaving them with only one fit senior keeper, Manuel Almunia.

Jens Lehmann was scheduled to spend six weeks working on his coaching badges at his old club.

Jens Lehmann was named as a substitute in Arsenal's match against West Bromwich Albion on 19 March 2011.

On 10 April 2011, Jens Lehmann started for the first team in an away game against Blackpool.

Jens Lehmann was forced to start the game when Almunia was injured in the warm up.

Jens Lehmann became the oldest player to play for Arsenal in the Premier League but not the oldest to play for the Gunners in all competitions, a record held by Jock Rutherford.

On 8 September 2018, a match was organised between Arsenal legends and Real Madrid legends in which Jens Lehmann appeared after David Seaman picked up injury during training.

Jens Lehmann eventually made two saves in the second half and then saved a shot from Alfonso in the subsequent penalty shoot out.

Jens Lehmann made his debut for the Germany national team against Oman in February 1998 and earned 61 caps for his country, 32 of which were friendlies.

Jens Lehmann had a well-publicised rivalry with former Bayern Munich goalkeeper Oliver Kahn, whose presence long prevented Lehmann from becoming the number one goalkeeper of the national team.

Jens Lehmann was in the squad which finished as runners-up in the 2002 World Cup, but he didn't play any matches in the competition, as Kahn was still Germany's first choice goalkeeper.

On 7 April 2006 Germany national coach Jurgen Klinsmann announced that Jens Lehmann would be Germany's first-choice goalkeeper for the upcoming World Cup.

Jens Lehmann played strongly in the next three games, conceding no goals and allowing Germany to sweep their group undefeated and beat Sweden convincingly in the Round of 16.

The game came down to penalty kicks and Jens Lehmann carried his team through, picking the right direction for all spot kicks, making saves from Argentinians Roberto Ayala and Esteban Cambiasso and almost saving a third.

Only two of the seven players on the note ended up taking penalties, but Kopke had predicted both correctly and Jens Lehmann saved Ayala's kick.

Jens Lehmann was considered a hero by the German public after these saves, and he received praise even from long-time rival and backup keeper Oliver Kahn.

The Italians had the better chances to score but Jens Lehmann made several spectacular saves, including one in extra time where he dived out of goal to intercept an Italian player who had broken loose from the defence, punching the ball clear with his fist and temporarily knocking out the Italian in the process.

Jens Lehmann allowed two goals within a minute of each other with only a few seconds remaining in extra time, which put Italy into the World Cup final.

Jens Lehmann set a national team record of not conceding a goal for 681 minutes in a friendly against Switzerland on 26 March 2008.

On 8 August 2008, Jens Lehmann announced his retirement from international football.

Jens Lehmann made his decision following a two-hour talk with the Germany national team's coach Joachim Low and goalkeeping coach Andreas Kopke, stating that he was not able to give them any guarantee that he will continue to play football following the end of his one-year contract with VfB Stuttgart in June 2009.

Jens Lehmann has since retired and subsequently worked towards his full FIFA coaching license at Arsenal.

Jens Lehmann was known for his eccentric personality, and for being extremely outspoken.

On 19 June 2018, Arsenal confirmed that Jens Lehmann had left the club as part of new head coach Unai Emery's coaching staff changes.

Jens Lehmann later adopted Lasse, Conny's son from her previous marriage to footballer Knut Reinhardt.

Jens Lehmann participated in the Soccer Aid football match on 6 June 2010 for the Rest of the World team in aid of UNICEF.

Jens Lehmann plays Big John Jacobs, a football coach and talent scout, who discovers Themba, a young and ambitious youth, who is faced with poverty, AIDS and violence, but eventually makes his way on to the South African national team.