Brajan Gruda receives silver Fritz Walter Medal

Brajan Gruda has received the silver Fritz Walter Medal. The 19-year-old has won the award for being one of the three best U19 players born in 2004. Gruda has come through all the teams in Mainz’s youth academy, starting with the U15s, and made his Bundesliga debut for Mainz in January of this year at the age of 18. Last season, he played a crucial role as captain of Mainz’s U19 Bundesliga winning side. Now, as an integral part of the first team squad, the Speyer-born wideman has come off the bench in both of Mainz’s first two Bundesliga games this season.

Gruda is following in the footsteps of his teammate Nelson Weiper, amongst others, who was awarded with the gold Fritz Walter Medal for the best German U17 player last year. After Weiper, André Schürrle and Stefan Bell, Gruda is the fourth Zerofiver to receive the most significant junior award in German football. Schürrle received the bronze Fritz Walter Medal in the U19 category in 2009, whilst Bell won the silver medal in the same category a year later. 

“The entire youth academy and all those who have supported him over the last few years are very pleased for Brajan due to this award. He deserves this medal due to his individual sporting development, but also due to his qualities as a team player. He always led by example as the captain of the U19 league winning side, taking the initiative in every training session and every game. We are excited about his growth within the first team,” says Volker Kersting, Academy Director at Mainz 05. 

“He deserves this medal due to his individual sporting development, but also due to his qualities as a team player.”

“Brajan has very good qualities on the ball and is adept at dealing with game situations in tight spaces. We are pleased about this award, which reflects the work of the entire youth academy over the last few years and the strong pathway into the first team. We hope that he will able to continue on this successful pathway and that he’ll be able to continue to establish himself within the first team,” says Meikel Schönweitz, director of footballing development in the youth academy.

The DFB have stated that the medal will be presented during the next international break. 

Winners of the Fritz Walter Medal at a glance

U19s, Class of 2004:

GOLD: Youssoufa Moukoko (Borussia Dortmund)

SILVER: Brajan Gruda (1. FSV Mainz 05)

BRONZE: Umut Tohumcu (TSG Hoffenheim)

U17s, Class of 2006:

GOLD: Paris Brunner (Borussia Dortmund)

SILVER: Noah Darvich (FC Barcelona)

BRONZE: Assan Ouedraogo (FC Schalke 04)