Gouweleeuw: “It was a very special day”

Jeffrey Gouweleeuw has been at FC Augsburg since January 2016. The 35-year-old Dutchman made his 275th Bundesliga appearance for the Red-Green-Whites against Union Berlin, becoming the club’s outright record appearance holder in the competition. The centre-back reflects on reaching that milestone, his favourite memories from his time at FCA and the upcoming home game against SC Freiburg.

Jeff, you have now made 275 Bundesliga appearances for FCA – more than any other player in the club’s history. How many messages of congratulations have you received over the past few days?
Loads! My phone was practically blowing up. I couldn’t even reply to everyone. It was a very special day for me and I was over the moon.

What does breaking this club record mean to you?
It makes me incredibly proud. I’ve said on several occasions that becoming the club’s record appearance holder was an important goal of mine. I had to wait a little longer than I’d hoped because of my injuries last year, which kept me out for quite a while. That made it all the more special when I finally got there.

You’ve now been at FCA for over ten years. Is there one particular game that stands out when you reflect on that time?
There are plenty, although you do forget some of them over time. I still remember my first game and first start at home to Bayern München. The first game back after my serious lung injury in 2016 was another really special moment. And then there was the away game in Dortmund in March 2025, when I scored the winner with a header.

You’ve played alongside a lot of different teammates during your time at FCA. Can you guess which outfield player you’ve shared the most minutes with on the pitch? We’ll give you a clue: it’s 7,498 minutes.
I’ll have to think about that one. There are quite a few players it could be. Maybe Michael Gregoritsch?

It’s actually Felix Uduokhai.
He’d just crossed my mind as well! We played together for four or five years. It’s quite a strange coincidence that I broke the record in a game against him.

You must have heard from quite a few former teammates after breaking the record. Was there one message that meant a lot to you in particular?
I've had so many people get in touch, from family and friends to former teammates. One message that really stood out was from Dani Baier. It meant a lot to me that he thought of me and was so happy for me. It’s pretty rare these days for a player to spend so long at one club.

A lot has changed at FCA since you joined the club. How have you seen things develop over the years?
So much has changed, particularly in terms of the facilities. Things have improved in so many areas – the stadium, the changing rooms, the gym, the training pitches. The club has made tremendous progress across the board.

You’ve experienced plenty of highs and lows, both on and off the pitch, during your time here. What has it been like going through those different periods with FCA?
When I arrived in January 2016, I didn’t know much about the club. My only real experience of Augsburg was playing against them in the Europa League with AZ. Over the years, I’ve got to know the club and the city much better, and I’ve always felt very much at home here. Of course, I’ve had to deal with injuries along the way. You need a lot of patience to get through those periods, but I’ve always tried to get back as quickly as possible so I could help the team again.

Who has helped you the most during those difficult times?
My family have been a massive help, especially my wife, my children, my in-laws and my friends. And of course the club, where I’ve now been for such a long time.

275 Bundesliga appearances also means commentators have had 275 opportunities to attempt to pronounce your surname, often with some rather creative results. Do you see the funny side?
Yeah, I’ve heard quite a few different versions over the years. I still struggle to spell it myself sometimes! I’ve heard all sorts. It’s probably easiest if everyone just calls me Jeff.

You now hold the Bundesliga appearance record for a Dutch player, as well as FCA’s club record. What’s your next target?
I’m not looking too far ahead. Reaching 300 competitive appearances for FCA is obviously something I’m thinking about now. I’m only nine or ten games away, so that’s a realistic target. At my age, the most important thing is that I’m still enjoying training every day and competing for my place in the team. We’ll see how many more appearances I can add to my tally.

Finally, let's look ahead to the next match. FCA host SC Freiburg in the Bundesliga. What kind of test are you expecting?
It’s going to be a tough game. Freiburg have made huge strides in recent years. They’re an excellent side and have been playing together for a long time. It’s also a good challenge for us, though. We always have a chance of winning these games at home, and that’s exactly what we want to do.

What needs to improve for FCA to get back to winning ways?
We have to be solid defensively. There were moments against Union Berlin when we could have dealt with situations better. We need to improve against Freiburg.

What's your prediction for the game?
A 2-0 win for us.

Unsere FCA-APP

Jetzt herunterladen!