András Schäfer
A dynamic, box-to-box Hungarian midfielder whose tireless performances at Euro 2020 announced him as his nation's new engine room.
Born 1999 (age 27)·Hungarian footballer·Birthday: April 13·Generation Z
Biography
András Schäfer announced himself to the football world not in a domestic match, but on the pressurized stage of a European Championship. At Euro 2020, running himself into the ground in a formidable Hungarian midfield, he became the embodiment of a team that fought giants to a standstill. His career path had been one of deliberate steps: honed in the academies of MTK Budapest and Genoa, he found his footing in Slovakia with DAC Dunajská Streda before a move to Union Berlin cemented his status at the top level. Schäfer is not a flashy playmaker, but a modern, physical midfielder—a ball-winner with surprising technical grace and an engine that allows him to cover every blade of grass. His late, crashing run and header to score against Germany in the Euros was a signature moment, showcasing the timing and determination that makes him indispensable. He represents a new generation of Hungarian talent, built for intensity and ready for the biggest challenges.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
András was born in 1999, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When András Was Born
The biggest hits of 1999
#1 Movie
Star Wars: Episode I
Best Picture
American Beauty
#1 TV Show
ER
András's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1999Born
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2004Started school
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2012Became a teenager
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2015Could drive
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2017Could vote
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2020Turned 21
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 27 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Scored a crucial goal for Hungary in a 2-2 draw against Germany in the group stage of UEFA Euro 2020.
- Helped guide Union Berlin to a historic fourth-place Bundesliga finish and UEFA Champions League qualification in the 2022-23 season.
- Established himself as a regular starter in the Hungarian national team midfield during their successful UEFA Euro 2020 and Nations League campaigns.
- Won the Slovak Cup in 2020 with DAC Dunajská Streda, contributing as a key player.
Did You Know?
He began his youth career at MTK Budapest before moving to the youth academy of Italian club Genoa at age 16.
His father, also named András Schäfer, was a professional footballer who played as a defender.
He is known for his distinctive long hair and headband worn during matches.
He made his senior debut for the Hungarian national team in 2020, just a year before the European Championship.
“We showed we can fight with any team in the world.”
