11.06.2025 / English
Boëtius celebrates Suriname debut | Lilies‘ Greetings from Vacation
While most of the SV Darmstadt 98 players are on vacation, two Lilies are still in full action. Two friendlies were scheduled for the Bulgarian national team and Fabian Nürnberger. Jean-Paul Boëtius played for Suriname in World Cup qualifying and still has the CONCACAF Gold Cup to look forward to. We report on these and other topics related to SV Darmstadt 98 in our weekly column "Lilien Across the Board."
+++ Holiday greetings from the Lilien professionals +++
While Fabian Nürnberger and Jean-Paul Boëtius are with the national team, the other Lilies players are enjoying their well-deserved summer break. The Iberian Peninsula is once again particularly popular this year: Sergio López is spending relaxing days on a boat off Mallorca, Fraser Hornby is using his free time in Spain to play golf, Luca Marseiler prefers to soak up the sun in Ibiza, and Merveille Papela has also chosen Spain as his holiday destination. But Spain isn’t the only attraction for the Lilies – the Benelux countries were also high on the list for two Lilies. Paul Will recovered on a short trip to Brussels, but otherwise he continues to work on his comeback. Marcel Schuhen, on the other hand, spent valuable family time in Katwijk in the Netherlands, building sandcastles with his children. Meanwhile, Isac Lidberg vacationed on the Adriatic coast of Croatia, Killian Corredor enjoyed Greek food on the island of Paros, and Kai Klefisch relaxed on Lake Garda.
+++ SV 98 International +++
Two Lilien players recently played for their national teams. Fabian Nürnberger played the entire 90 minutes of the Bulgarian national team’s second friendly match against Greece. While he was unused in the 2-2 draw in the first friendly against Cyprus on Friday (June 6), he played the entire match that followed. Bulgaria, however, suffered a 4-0 defeat to Greece.
Successful debut for Jean-Paul Boëtius with the Suriname national team in the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers – the association for North, Central America, and the Caribbean. The midfielder was not in the squad for the 1-0 win against Puerto Rico on Saturday (June 7). In the second match against El Salvador, Boëtius was part of the starting eleven, playing 84 minutes and contributing to the important point in his national team debut in a 1-1 draw. Suriname currently leads its qualifying group. The best two teams advance to the next round – where three World Cup positions will be awarded from a total of twelve teams.
+++ Good luck, Djanga! +++
After Boëtius’s success in World Cup qualifying with Suriname, the next exciting tournament is just around the corner for him and his compatriots: The Darmstadt native is in Suriname’s squad for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup. The Gold Cup is a competition held every two years to determine the best football nation from North, Central America, and the Caribbean. The tournament will be held from June 14 to July 6 in the USA and Canada. The reigning and record winner of the competition is Mexico. Incidentally, the Mexicans are Suriname’s group opponents, who will also face Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic. SV 98 wishes Jean-Paul Boëtius much success and great games!
Overview of Suriname’s preliminary round matches in the CONCACAF Gold Cup:
| Matchday | Date | Kick-Off | Opposition | Location |
| 1 | Monday – 16/06 | 5am CEST | Costa Rica | San Diego (USA) |
| 2 | Thursday – 19/06 | 4am CEST | Mexiko | Arlington (USA) |
| 3 | Monday – 23/06 | 4am CEST | Dominikanische Republik | Arlington (USA) |
+++ "We play for Annabelle" +++
The SV Darmstadt 98 U19 team will travel to FSV Oppenheim on June 21st for a charity match, kicking off in the early afternoon. FSV, which is celebrating its 80th anniversary on this day, will celebrate the anniversary under the motto „Playing for Annabelle.“ All proceeds and donations from the day will benefit little Annabelle, a member of the local gymnastics club and suffering from ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). The goal is to use this day together to do good and support Annabelle and her family. The Lilies‘ U19 team is happy to participate in this event.
+++ Become part of the youth performance centre +++
Do you want to experience Lilien football up close – not just as a fan, but actively and right in the heart of it all? Then the SV Darmstadt 98 Youth Performance Centre offers you the perfect opportunity! We are looking for dedicated, motivated, and football-loving individuals who want to help shape youth development and become part of a strong community. Whether on the coaching team or in the organisation: At the SV Darmstadt 98 Youth Performance Centre, you can expect an exceptional and friendly working environment where solidarity and passion are paramount. If you’ve always dreamed of taking on responsibility and supporting talented individuals on their journey, then this is the right place for you. Become part of the Lilien family – apply now and shape the future of football!
+++ Happy belated birthday! +++
One of the managing directors of SV Darmstadt 98 celebrated his 55th birthday on Monday (June 9). Martin Kowalewski, a native of Hofheim, began his football career as a youth player with the Lilies and moved to the professional team in the 1987/88 season. There, the former defender made an impressive 172 appearances for Darmstadt in the 2. Bundesliga and Regionalliga Süd, scoring one goal. After more than 14,000 minutes of playing time in the blue and white jersey, he finally moved to FSV Frankfurt.
Kowalewski also began his professional career in 1997 as Head of Marketing at SV 98, subsequently working for UFA Sports GmbH and Sportfive GmbH & Co. KG before serving as Managing Director of Bayer 04 Leverkusen Marketing GmbH from 2009 to 2015. He returned to Darmstadt in March 2020 as Managing Director of Marketing/Sales. SV 98 wishes you a very happy birthday, Martin!
Defeat with Heart
Darmstadt 98 lost to Hannover 96 while playing with ten men and must continue to wait for their first win of this second division season. Read our analysis to find out what positives remain and why Darmstadt 98 had factored in setbacks on their chosen path.
Jonathan-Heimes-Platz officially opened
Around the time of the home game against Hannover 96 on Sunday (August 30th), the Jonathan Heimes Square was officially inaugurated. Before kickoff, club president Markus Pfitzner and Martin Heimes, father of Jonathan Heimes, who died of cancer about ten years ago, gave speeches highlighting "Johnny's" importance and his commitment to people with cancer.
Running together to do good: “Run for ME/CFS”
The Lilien Team Marathon is not just about athletic performance and the shared experience around the Böllenfalltor stadium – but also about making a difference together.
Still undefeated
The SV Darmstadt 98 U21 team drew 2-2 (0-1) against SV Unter-Flockenbach. After a heated home game, the young Lilies had to settle for a frustrating, but ultimately deserved, draw. In this extremely balanced league, Patrick Kurt's team continues to grow week by week, gaining valuable experience.
“Our belief in this path is immense.”
An emotional match with many controversial moments unfolded on Sunday afternoon at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. Ultimately, Darmstadt suffered their first home defeat of the young season. We've compiled the post-match reactions for you.
Outnumbered: Lilies Lose to 96ers
Tried everything, but to no avail: SV 98 came up short in their home game against Hannover 96. The final score was 1-0 (0-0) to the visitors, whilst the Lilies had to play with ten men after Vukotic was sent off in the 20th minute.
Team News: Three Changes in the Starting XI
Home game against Hannover! On matchday 3, Darmstadt 98 will host the ambitious Lower Saxons at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. Florian Kohfeldt has made three changes to his starting lineup compared to the victory in Jena. Hiroki Akiyama replaces the suspended Kai Klefisch, while Nicolas Verkooijen (making his first start) and Yosuke Furukawa start in place of Carlo Sickinger and Manolo Merx.
Matchday Guide: All Information before the Hannover Game
Weekend, Lilies fever! On Sunday (August 30th/1:30pm), the Lilies have their third matchday on the schedule. Hannover 96, the club from the Lower Saxon capital, will be visiting the Bölle. What do the two head coaches have to say before kickoff? Who will be refereeing the match? And where can you watch the game? As usual, we've compiled all the important information about the match against Hannover in our "Matchday Guide"
Transfer News: Mikelbrencis strengthens SV 98
One day before their home game against Hannover 96, Darmstadt 98 have announced another new signing. William Mikelbrencis will now wear the SV 98 jersey. The 22-year-old Frenchman was under contract with Hamburger SV until June 30th.
“I’d be up for it”
In the press conference before the second home game of the still young season, our head coach spoke about, among other things, our team's attacking play and the past week. As usual, you can find the most important statements before the match against Hannover 96 (August 30th/1:30pm) here for you.
Opposition Check: Hannover 96
A second-division team on the Berlin Mount Olympus: Hannover 96 achieved something unique in 1992. On May 23, the Lower Saxony club defeated Borussia Mönchengladbach in the DFB Cup final, securing another major title in the club's history 38 years after their German championship win in 1954. Hannover became the first and, to this day, only "true" second-division team to win the DFB Cup, causing one of the biggest upsets in the competition's history.
