Ex-Leeds United goalkeeper axed by Marcelo Bielsa enters into politics with local elections imminent

A former Leeds United goalkeeper who left four days into the Marcelo Bielsa era has entered into politics ahead of his country’s local elections.

Felix Wiedwald spent just one season at Elland Road, joining Leeds from Werder Bremen in 2017. The goalkeeper signed a three-year contract and played 28 Championship games under Thomas Christiansen and Paul Heckingbottom.

A number of errors saw Wiedwald replaced by Bailey Peacock-Farrell March 2018 and the arrival of Bielsa the following summer led to his exit just four days later. He spent the remainder of his career in Germany before retiring in 2022, aged 32.

Now 36, Wiedwald is a scout for Werder Bremen but has recently entered into politics. The former goalkeeper is running as a candidate for the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) at September’s Verden city council elections.

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“I went all in right away,” Wiedwald told the Kreiszeitung media group (via Deich Stube). “I registered with the CDU local branch and let them know I'd like to get involved. So many people complain, but only a few actually get involved in politics and take on responsibility. That's different for me!”

Wiedwald’s career took an interesting turn following his decision to retire in 2022, with the goalkeeper undertaking a two-year programme with Werder Bremen while completing a course in sports management in Switzerland. According to the backgrounder, he is also heavily invested in real estate.

Wiedwald is part of the campaign team for CDU mayoral candidate Björn Symank, entering local politics at a level in which decisions affect people’s daily lives. The former Leeds goalkeeper hasn’t made any suggestion he’ll leave his current role at Werder Bremen and has regularly attended CDU party group meetings.

“I'm a full-time scout in squad planning at Werder Bremen,” he added. “It's a full-time job. But, like many other politicians, I want to make the time for it. I don't like everything about the CDU, but that's normal in a democracy. And at the local level, it's all about working together to make a difference anyway.”