Nils Petersen

Nils Petersen is a former German footballer whose career tells a story that goes far beyond goals and titles. His path led him early to FC Bayern Munich, where he won the double of league title and DFB Cup – but it was at SC Freiburg that he found his true calling. There he became a club legend and the club’s Bundesliga record goalscorer, not through spectacular performances from the very first minute, but through a special ability: to find the necessary calm and precision in decisive moments, often after coming on as a substitute. Known as the «King of the Super-Subs», he became a symbol of the idea that mental strength often counts for more than pure playing time – a composure under pressure that also showed at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where he won silver with the German national team.

After ending his active career in the summer of 2024, Petersen has broadened his focus: today he is in demand as a speaker and media personality, and is dedicated to a topic close to his heart – mental health in professional sport. Openly and reflectively, he speaks about pressure, self-doubt, and the question of how top athletes can cope with the psychological demands of their profession in the long term.