L. Waldschmidt

Waldschmidt's current-season form is down 31% on last season (Season 36→25), while his Rating eased 48→37. His peak season for form remains 2024/25 (Season 36).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2025/26	1. FC Köln · 14th	26	5	5	6.77	37	25
2024/25	1. FC Köln · 1st	30	8	3	6.94	48	36
2023/24	1. FC KölnLoan · 17th	22	3	0	6.9	54	15
2022/23	VfL Wolfsburg · 8th	18	4	0	6.55	61	14
2021/22	VfL Wolfsburg · 12th	14	1	0	6.48	63	6
2021/22	Benfica · 3rd	2	2	0	7.45	56	6

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 7 earlier seasons and 6 youth-team spells in the full career.

Germany · international

Side	Apps	G
Germany	7	2
Germany U21	9	8
Germany U19	3	0
Germany U17	3	2

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Scout report

Squad depthGoal-getting Centre-forward

L. Waldschmidt is a 30-year-old centre-forward at 1. FC Köln, rated 36.9 overall by Field Insider's model, ranking 270th of 322 on scout potential in the Bundesliga. An experienced operator, he has been a fringe squad member this season (22.4% of available minutes). He brings 1.18 goal contributions per 90 (0.66 goals, 0.53 assists). Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Waldschmidt.

Judged on this season alone, Waldschmidt graded 25 — a workmanlike campaign that ranks 29th of 47 of the 47 centre-forwards in the Bundesliga, on 5 goals and 4 assists in 24 appearances (1.184 involvements per 90).

Year-on-year, that's a drop on last season (Season 36 → 25). Over the 6 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2024/25.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 37, 38th of 47 of the 47 centre-forwards in the Bundesliga. At 30 Waldschmidt is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 12.5 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Below his 2024/25 peak but holding a solid level — the platform for a return is there.

Peak: 2024/25Trending upBreakout: 2024/25Stepped up 2025/26

Current potential38th of 47 centre-forwards · Bundesliga · 24 apps Current season29th of 47 centre-forwards · Bundesliga · 24 apps 29th-best centre-forward in the Bundesliga 270th in the Bundesliga · potential 38th-highest potential centre-forward in the Bundesliga

36.9

Ratingi

38th of 47 centre-forwards

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

22.4%

Minutes

limited game time

1.18

Goal contrib / 90

elite end product

Output in context · 1. FC Köln finished 14th of 18 · a lower-table side

Apps

Goals

Assists

G+A

0.21

Goals / app

5 goals in 24 appearances (0.21 per game), a meaningful share of the load for a lower-table side. He also laid on 4 assists, so the all-round involvement reads 9 goal contributions (0.38 per appearance).

Strengths

Final-third output. 1.18 goal contributions per 90 (0.66 goals, 0.53 assists) — productive for the role.

Watch points

Game time. Only 22.4% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

With a Rating of 36.9, Waldschmidt carries the 38th-highest potential of the centre-forwards in the Bundesliga of 47 — though on just 24 appearances this season, so the standing rests on a small sample. In the final third he profiles as a genuine goal threat (1.18 goal contributions per 90). Experienced and reliable, but the value curve is easing (1× now → 0.7× projected in three years).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %22.4%

Available fixtures34 of 34

Goals / 900.658

Assists / 900.526

Goal contribution / 901.184

Defensive actions / 901.842

Player flow

Goal involvements9

Shot conversion %38.5

Shot accuracy %61.9

Pass accuracy %75

Dribble success %43.8

Cards / 900.132

Foul involvement / 901.974

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~25), then tapers with age. At 30, Waldschmidt sits on 12.5, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Waldschmidt's projected Rating — 36.9 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among centre-forwards in the Bundesliga with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals5

Shots on target13

Shots21

Penalties scored2

Passing

Assists4

Chances created13

Passes224

Pass accuracy75%

Possession

Successful dribbles7

Dribble success43.8%

Duels won31

Duels won %47%

Fouls won6

Defending

Tackles8

Interceptions4

Blocks2

Fouls committed9

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards1

Red cards0

Transfer history

€33.3M total transfer fees · 6 moves

1. FC KölnJul 2024 – nowFree

1. FC Köln(on loan)Jul 2023 – Jul 2024

VfL WolfsburgAug 2021 – Jul 2023€ 12M

BenficaAug 2020 – Aug 2021€ 15M

SC FreiburgJul 2018 – Aug 2020€ 5M

Hamburger SVJul 2016 – Jul 2018€ 1.3M

Eintracht Frankfurtuntil Jul 2016

About L. Waldschmidt

Gian-Luca Waldschmidt is a 30-year-old centre-forward who plays for 1. FC Köln, born on May 19, 1996 in Siegen, standing 181 cm tall. He is from Germany. 1. FC Köln currently sit 14th of 18 in the Bundesliga.

This season

In the current season, L. Waldschmidt has made 24 appearances with 5 goals and 4 assists across 684 minutes, averaging a 6.82 match rating over his last 10 rated games, with 1 yellow card. His season has spanned the Bundesliga and the DFB Pokal. Though primarily a centre-forward, he has also lined up in midfield this season.

When L. Waldschmidt plays, 1. FC Köln's record this season is 4W-9D-13L — and his match ratings average 6.84 at home against 6.65 on the road.

Recent matches

May 10, 2026: 1-3 loss at home vs 1. FC Heidenheim (32 minutes, 6.6 rating)
May 2, 2026: 2-2 draw away at Union Berlin (62 minutes, 1 assist, 6.6 rating)
April 25, 2026: 1-2 loss at home vs Bayer Leverkusen (18 minutes, 1 goal, 7.7 rating)
April 17, 2026: 1-1 draw away at FC St. Pauli (11 minutes, 1 goal, 7 rating)
April 12, 2026: 3-1 win at home vs Werder Bremen (14 minutes, 6.9 rating)
April 5, 2026: 2-2 draw away at Eintracht Frankfurt (8 minutes, 6.3 rating)
March 21, 2026: 3-3 draw at home vs Borussia Mönchengladbach (13 minutes, 6.7 rating)
February 27, 2026: 0-2 loss away at FC Augsburg (66 minutes, 7 rating)
February 21, 2026: 2-2 draw at home vs 1899 Hoffenheim (11 minutes, 6.5 rating)
February 14, 2026: 1-3 loss away at VfB Stuttgart (22 minutes, 1 assist, 6.9 rating)

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates L. Waldschmidt at 36.9 with a Season form score of 25, ranking 270th of 322 centre-forwards in the Bundesliga. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 2 career titles — among them the 2. Bundesliga. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 14 recorded seasons, L. Waldschmidt has totalled 279 club appearances with 68 goals and 14 assists for 9 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2018/19, with 30 appearances for SC Freiburg.

L. Waldschmidt's career has also included time at VfL Wolfsburg, Benfica, SC Freiburg, Hamburger SV and Eintracht Frankfurt.

On the international stage, L. Waldschmidt has represented Germany, Germany U21, Germany U19, Germany U17 — 22 caps and 12 goals in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Performance data · by competition

Career

Scout report

Output in context · 1. FC Köln finished 14th of 18 · a lower-table side

Strengths

Watch points