Portrait of EHC Red Bull München's Simon Wolf

Wednesday, 31. July 2024 | Portrait of EHC Red Bull München's Simon Wolf

Relaxed and strong nerves: that's our new goalie Simon Wolf A portrait of the new Red Bulls goalkeeper // NEWSGerman junior international goalkeeper Simon Wolf joined the Red Bulls in the summer. The 20-year-old tells us about his career, what makes him tick and why he wears shirt number 25.

Wolf comes from an ice hockey-loving family. ‘My parents watched a lot of ice hockey. They sent me to ice hockey when I was four years old. I haven't played any other sport seriously since then,’ says our new signing, who has two younger siblings: ’My sister turned ten and my brother will be eight at the end of the year.’ But only he plays ice hockey - and quite well at that.

‘That's when I realised I was on the right track’

Born in Schwabach, he made a name for himself as a junior at EHC Nürnberg. Scouts recognised his talent early on and offers fluttered in. He opted for the Red Bull Ice Hockey Academy. Wolf remembers: ‘Moving away from home at 14 was not easy.’ But he knew he had to take the step to climb to the next level. A short time later, Wolf played his first international matches for the German U16 national team. And then his professional dream became even more concrete: ‘When I was nominated for the U18 national team at the age of 16, I realised that I was on the right track.’ Wolf got better and better. The highlight for the time being: the move from Red Bull Hockey Juniors to Munich.

Relaxed, chaotic, self-confident

The 20-year-old describes himself as a ‘relaxed guy’. He is an early riser who can get chaotic at times - but only off the ice. He finds peace and quiet when playing golf. He likes a hearty breakfast and sometimes treats himself. His ice hockey rituals give him a sense of security. One of them: ‘I always put my left skate on first.’

Wolf knows what he can do. He kept his cool when he made his debut for EC Red Bull Salzburg in the ICE Hockey League last November. ‘I had enough time back then to prepare for the games. And then I relied on myself to get it right,’ says Wolf. He got it right and shone in both games.

From a flat share to his first own flat

Wolf is now starting a new chapter in his career. He is not worried about moving into a flat on his own for the first time. ‘I already had to cook in Salzburg. The biggest change will be being alone in the evenings. Until now, I've lived with lots of other people at the academy and then in a shared flat.’ But he is sure that he will manage.

‘My size gives me an extreme advantage’

Munich fans can look forward to a highly talented goalkeeper. At 1.89 metres, he has good physical attributes. Meanwhile, many good goalkeepers are tall and yet quick. ‘My height gives me an extreme advantage in all kinds of situations. I still try to stand still for a long time. I play the hybrid style,’ says the goalkeeper.

„Fans werben Fans“-Teilnehmer besichtigen ihren Stammplatz im SAP Garden

The story behind the number 25

Wolf has arrived in Munich and has already got to know his new team-mates. He held initial talks with his goalkeeper colleague Mathias Niederberger. ‘I see Mathias as both a competitor and a teacher. I'm looking forward to my time with him,’ says Wolf. While the German national goalkeeper Niederberger wears the 35, the challenger Wolf will wear the 25 on his back.

The explanation: ‘When I started, I thought Patrick Ehelechner was great. And he had the 25.’ Ehelechner has long since ended his career and is now a commentator. Now Wolf wants to hit the ground running and continue learning: ‘I watch a lot of highlight videos and try to put things into practice.’ He picks up the best and mixes it into his own style - which he wants to present to the Munich fans as often as possible.