Opposition Check – VfL Bochum

The first leg at the home Vonovia Ruhrstadion went anything but as the Bochum fans had hoped. An early own goal in the 13th minute put the team behind. A double strike by Felix Klaus and Yannik Engelhardt in the 64th and 72nd minutes further dashed the hosts‘ hopes. The final score was a bitter 0-3 defeat in front of their home crowd. Not a good starting point for the return leg. But in Düsseldorf, a completely different picture emerged. Bochum, who seemed to have no chance, played with a sense of freedom, while Fortuna Düsseldorf seemed paralysed. With an incredible 3-0 lead over 90 minutes, VfL Bochum managed to save themselves in extra time and ultimately to a penalty shootout. The rest is history.

One year later, the reality is different: After four consecutive years of top-flight football, VfL Bochum was relegated to the 2. Bundesliga at the end of last season. At the season opener on Saturday (August 2nd/1pm), the Lilies host the Bundesliga relegated team and we take a close look at VfL Bochum for you.

Curiously, when Dieter Hecking moved from Lübeck to Aachen, he first came into contact with the then Aachen manager Jörg Schmadtke – triggered by a curious circumstance: Hecking called him to get his opinion on a „Molten“ match ball. This is how the two first connected. A few weeks later, Hecking’s phone rang, and Schmadtke was on the other line – this time with a more serious matter: While Hecking was playing PlayStation with his daughter, Schmadtke informed him that he was looking for a coach – and Hecking accepted.

Bochum’s biggest advantage lies in their strength in aerial duels—at least if you look at the statistics from last Bundesliga season. With a total of 899 aerial duels won, VfL was by far the league’s strongest team in terms of aerial prowess. By comparison, Union Berlin, the second-place team in this category, only managed 758 successful aerial duels, over 100 fewer. This quality is unlikely to have diminished much with the summer signing of Kevin Vogt. The almost two-meter-tall central defender brings not only additional experience but also a physical presence in the air.

Tattoos adorn his arms and chest, and his passion for fashion is reflected in his striking looks. Poker and faith also play a role in his life. We’re talking about Kevin Vogt, a defender for VfL Bochum since the summer of 2025, who is returning to his former stomping grounds after many years away.

Born in Witten and raised in Bochum, Vogt spent the first 17 years of his life almost exclusively in his hometown. From WSV Bochum, he played for all of VfL Bochum’s youth teams, culminating in his Bundesliga debut at the age of 17 in the Revierderby against Borussia Dortmund, where he came on as a substitute for ten minutes.

In 2012, Vogt moved to FC Augsburg. He then went on to play for 1. FC Köln, TSG Hoffenheim, Werder Bremen, and Union Berlin. In total, he made 352 Bundesliga appearances, as well as eleven Europa League and six Champions League appearances. At Hoffenheim, he became a key defensive player who, according to his then head coach and current national team coach Julian Nagelsmann, „has a lot of ball contact, initiates attacks, recognises danger, and constantly makes decisions.“ Nagelsmann even compared him to football star Tom Brady.

In the summer of 2025, Vogt returned to VfL Bochum. The return of the Westphalian native is a special one for the club, as VfL Sporting Director Dirk Dufner explained on the club website: „Kevin will help us with his experience and technical skills. We expect him to lead the way as a leader.“

Off the pitch, Vogt has many passions. His tattoos – including the Virgin Mary with baby Jesus, a dream catcher, and the words „Only God Can Judge Me“ and „God Blessed Me“ – are very meaningful to him. Although he used to attend church regularly, he once revealed in the Werder podcast that his faith had waned somewhat. He also enjoys playing poker, where he finds the mix of luck and tactics appealing, as he said in an interview with the Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung.

In his private life, Vogt is a very organised person who values spending time with family, friends, and his two dogs. Friends jokingly call him „Alfo“ – a play on the nickname „Alpha Kevin.“ He takes it with humour, because Vogt simply remains himself. With all his interests and characteristics, he is now returning to Bochum. The very place where it all began – and where he feels at home.