Ralf Schmidt

Ralf Schmidt (born 9 October 1985 in Jena, East Germany ) is a former German football player.

Career

At age six, Schmidt joined the FC Carl Zeiss Jena and played by the youth sections to the first team. In the season 2005/ 06 the central defender was as regular in 32 games significantly to the rise of Jena in the second Bundesliga at. Then, the first division 1 FC Nuremberg took the 20 -year-olds for three years under contract, with Ralf Schmidt played for another year on loan at FC Carl Zeiss, to gain experience in professional football. In December 2006, however, he pulled a ligament tear in the shoulder, so that the professional time at FC Carl Zeiss was terminated prematurely for him. In the season 2006/ 07 he had previously played 14 times for the professionals and four times for the second team of Jena.

In the first half of the season 2007/ 08 he was then eight times in the Bundesliga team of the 1st FC Nuremberg used. He also played in the UEFA Cup twice - in the first-round match against Rapid Bucharest and Away in the group stage at the home game against Everton. After the coaching change in February 2008, he was no longer considered by the new coach Thomas von Heesen for the first team.

In June 2008 he returned to FC Carl Zeiss Jena, who was previously relegated to the new 3rd Liga. He signed a two-year contract, which was extended in 2010. Four years he was a regular player there until the Thuringian in the season 2011/12, missed the league and descended from professional football. May 16, 2012 Schmidt announced end of his career, as the reason he gave to lack of motivation. In addition, the completion of his studies in bioinformatics at Friedrich Schiller University of Jena before.

Achievements

• Promotion to the Regionalliga in 2005
• Promotion to the 2nd Bundesliga in 2006