Thomas Hitzlsperger, 125th anniversary ambassador for April

Thomas Hitzlsperger (born in Munich, 1982) has been named the 125th anniversary ambassador for the month of April, joining Jon Rahm, Jokin Altuna and Honey Tahljieh on the list of Athletic Club ambassadors.

The former Germany international, who played for a variety of clubs including Aston Villa and VfB Stuttgart, will receive his badge in the San Mamés presidential box before Athletic Club vs Real Sociedad kicks off this Saturday.

As with Honey Thaljieh, Athletic Club regards Thomas as a remarkable person not only for the values he represents but also for the courage and determination with which he has defended his identity in often hostile circumstances.

In January 2014, after his last season at Everton FC, Hitzlsperger publicly revealed he was gay. One of the first high-profile figures in the sport to do so, Thomas helped lead the way so that future generations of openly LGBTQ+ players might one day be able to enjoy their passion for football in absolute normality, free of prejudice or discrimination.

Thanks to his outstanding career as a footballer and his activism, Thomas has become one of the world's leading personalities in terms of promoting diversity and opposing homophobia. Athletic Club's recognition joins other distinctions he has received, such as the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2020, the DJK Ethics Award in 2015 and the Julius Hirsch Prize in 2011.

Nicknamed Der Hammer because of his powerful left-footed shot, Thomas Hitzlsperger won 52 caps for Germany and was a key figure in the national team's midfield. He was a runner-up at the UEFA Euro 2008 and won bronze medals at the 2006 World Cup and 2005 Confederations Cup.

He also captained VfB Stuttgart to the Bundesliga title in 2006/07, for which Stuttgart fans will always remember the volley he scored in the crucial title-winning match against Energie Cottubs on the final day of the season. A product of the FC Bayern Munich youth academy, in addition to the aforementioned clubs (Aston Villa, VfB Stuttgart and Everton FC), Thomas also played for Chesterfield FC (on loan from Aston Villa), SS Lazio, West Ham United and VfL Wolfsburg.

The relationship between Thomas Hitzlsperger and Athletic Club dates back to 2017. The former player attended the Foundation's Thinking Football Film Festival where he took part in a Q&A session after the screening of "The Pass". Ernesto Valverde, Óscar de Marcos, Mikel Balenziaga, Garazi Murua and Nekane Díez attended the screening and met Hitzlsperger in person.

Thomas will stay in Bilbao until Monday 17th and is due to visit Lezama on the morning of his return.