{{short description|German footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Christopher Schindler | image = Schindler, Christopher 1860 13-14 WP.JPG | upright = 0.9 | caption = Schindler with 1860 Munich in 2013 | fullname = Christopher Wolfgang Georg August Schindler<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/465277 |title=Squads for 2017/18 Premier League confirmed |publisher=Premier League |date=1 September 2017 |accessdate=9 September 2017}}</ref> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|4|29|df=y}}<ref name=PremProfile>{{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/players/19607/Christopher-Schindler/overview |title=Christopher Schindler: Overview |publisher=Premier League |accessdate=12 June 2019}}</ref> | birth_place = Munich, West Germany<ref>{{Cite web |title=Christopher Schindler – Spielerprofil |url=https://www.kicker.de/christopher-schindler/spieler/ |access-date=2026-01-19 |website=kicker |publisher=Olympia-Verlag |language=de-DE}}</ref> | height = 1.89 m<ref name=PremProfile/> | position = Centre-back | currentclub = | clubnumber = | youthyears1 = 1999–2009 | youthclubs1 = 1860 Munich | years1 = 2009–2013 | clubs1 = 1860 Munich II | caps1 = 39 | goals1 = 3 | years2 = 2010–2016 | clubs2 = 1860 Munich | caps2 = 152 | goals2 = 4 | years3 = 2016–2021 | clubs3 = Huddersfield Town | caps3 = 175 | goals3 = 5 | years4 = 2021–2024 | clubs4 = 1. FC Nürnberg | caps4 = 56 | goals4 = 1 |totalcaps = 422 |totalgoals = 13 | nationalyears1 = 2011–2012 | nationalteam1 = Germany U21 | nationalcaps1 = 4 | nationalgoals1 = 0 }} '''Christopher Wolfgang Georg August Schindler''' ({{IPA|de|ˈkʁɪstɔfɐ ˈʃɪndlɐ}}; born 29 April 1990) is a German former professional footballer who played as a centre-back. After beginning his career with 1860 Munich, he moved to English club Huddersfield Town in 2016, with whom he secured promotion to the Premier League. He joined Nürnberg in 2021 and has also played for Germany's U21s.
==Club career== Schindler began his career with his hometown team, TSV 1860 Munich.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/2bundesliga/vereine/2-bundesliga/2011-12/1860-muenchen-5/58074/spieler_schindler-christopher.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110723162529/http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/2bundesliga/vereine/2-bundesliga/2011-12/1860-muenchen-5/58074/spieler_schindler-christopher.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 23 July 2011 | title = Schindler, Christopher | language = German | publisher = Kicker | access-date = 30 July 2011}}</ref> He was named captain of the team after Julian Weigl was suspended to the second squad and fined for disciplinary reasons early in the 2014–15 season.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.tz.de/sport/1860-muenchen/julian-weigl-1860-kapitaensbinde-dauerhaft-3776992.html | title = Weigl-Binde dauerhaft weg! Wer nun übernimmt | language = German | publisher = tz.de | accessdate = 13 August 2014}}</ref>
After making over 200 appearances for 1860 Munich's first and second teams, Schindler joined English Championship club Huddersfield Town on 29 June 2016. He signed a three-year contract, with Huddersfield paying an undisclosed then-club record fee, reported to be around £1.8 million. Schindler joined Chris Löwe, Michael Hefele, Martin Cranie and Mark Hudson as former captains at the club.<ref>{{cite web|last=Threlfall-Sykes|first=David|date=29 June 2016|title=TRANSFER: SCHINDLER ARRIVES FOR CLUB RECORD FEE|url=https://www.htafc.com/news/2016/june/transfer-schindler-arrives-for-club-record-fee/|url-status=live|access-date=12 May 2021|website=Huddersfield Town|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814021459/https://www.htafc.com/news/2016/june/transfer-schindler-arrives-for-club-record-fee/ |archive-date=14 August 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=29 June 2016|title=Christopher Schindler: TSV 1860 Munich defender joins Huddersfield Town|language=en-GB|work=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36662329|access-date=12 May 2021}}</ref> He made his debut for the Terriers in a 2–1 Championship win over Brentford on 6 August 2016, the opening game of the season.{{Citation needed|date=May 2021}} Schindler scored his first goal for the club, a header, in a 1–0 win over Ipswich Town on 1 October 2016.<ref>{{cite news|date=1 October 2016|title=Ipswich Town 0-1 Huddersfield Town - BBC Sport|work=BBC Sport|publisher=|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37460428|access-date=12 May 2021|accessdate=}}</ref>
On 29 May 2017, Schindler scored the winning penalty in the 2017 Championship play-off final in a penalty shootout against Reading, which promoted Huddersfield Town to the Premier League.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/may/29/huddersfield-reading-championship-play-off-final-match-report|title=Huddersfield reach Premier League after penalty shoot-out win over Reading|date=29 May 2017|work=The Guardian|accessdate=31 May 2017}}</ref> He signed a new three-year contract with the club on 24 July 2017, with the option of an additional year, after making 48 appearances in the 2016–17 season.<ref>{{Cite news|date=24 July 2017|title=Christopher Schindler: Huddersfield Town defender signs three-year deal|language=en-GB|work=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40707829|access-date=12 May 2021}}</ref>
On 10 August 2018, Schindler signed another new contract, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2021, with the option of a further year. He had played all but one game of the Terriers' games in the 2017–18 season, in which Huddersfield secured Premier League survival. Head coach David Wagner commented that "he took to the Premier League as if he had played in it all his life".<ref>{{Cite news|date=10 August 2018|title=Christopher Schindler: Huddersfield defender signs new contract|language=en-GB|work=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45144826|access-date=12 May 2021}}</ref>
He won the club's player of the year award in 2017–18 and 2018–19, becoming the first back-to-back winner of the award since Peter Clarke in 2011.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Tomlinson|first=Adam|date=11 May 2021|title=CHRISTOPHER SCHINDLER SET TO LEAVE TOWN|url=https://www.htafc.com/news/2021/may/christopher-schindler-set-to-leave-town/|url-status=live|access-date=12 May 2021|website=Huddersfield Town|language=en-gb|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210511081705/https://www.htafc.com/news/2021/may/christopher-schindler-set-to-leave-town/ |archive-date=11 May 2021 }}</ref>
On 11 May 2021, it was announced that Schindler would be leaving Huddersfield Town at the end of his contract, after five years at the club. The club's chairman Phil Hodgkinson said that "he will always be considered among the greats at Huddersfield Town".<ref name=":1" /> 1. FC Nürnberg reported his signing the same day, on a free transfer.<ref>{{Cite web|date=11 May 2021|title=Von der Insel ins Frankenland – Schindler kommt aus Huddersfield|url=https://www.fcn.de/news/artikel/von-der-insel-ins-frankenland-schindler-kommt-aus-huddersfield/|url-status=live|access-date=12 May 2021|website=1. FC Nürnberg|language=de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210511080112/https://www.fcn.de/news/artikel/von-der-insel-ins-frankenland-schindler-kommt-aus-huddersfield/ |archive-date=11 May 2021 }}</ref>
In October 2022, Schindler extended his contract with Nürnberg.<ref>{{Cite news |last= |date=2022-10-20 |title=2. Bundesliga: Kapitän Schindler bleibt beim 1. FC Nürnberg |url=https://www.zeit.de/news/2022-10/20/kapitaen-schindler-bleibt-beim-1-fc-nuernberg |access-date=2026-01-19 |work=Die Zeit |language=de-DE |issn= |agency=Deutsche Presse-Agentur}}</ref> He was released by the club in summer 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=24 May 2024 |title=Großer Umbruch am Valznerweiher: Diese Spieler verlassen den 1. FC Nürnberg |url=https://www.nordbayern.de/sport/1-fc-nuernberg/grosser-umbruch-am-valznerweiher-diese-spieler-verlassen-den-1-fc-nurnberg-1.14275205 |access-date=2026-01-19 |website=nordbayern.de |language=de}}</ref> Schindler was appointed as head of scouting at the club in September 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |title=FCN befördert Ex-Kapitän Schindler zum Scouting-Leiter |url=https://www.kicker.de/fcn-befoerdert-ex-kapitaen-schindler-zum-scouting-leiter-1146890/artikel |access-date=2026-01-19 |website=kicker |language=de-DE}}</ref>
==International career== Schindler is a former youth international, having played four games for the Germany national under-21 football team in 2011 and 2012.<ref name="WF">{{cite web|title=Christopher Schindler Profile|url=https://www.worldfootball.net/person/pe112466/christopher-schindler/|website=worldfootball.net}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National cup !colspan="2"|League cup !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="4"|1860 Munich II |2009–10<ref>{{kicker season|christopher-schindler|2009-10|access-date=19 January 2026}}</ref> |Regionalliga Süd |20||1||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||20||1 |- |2010–11<ref name="kicker1011">{{kicker season|christopher-schindler|2010-11|access-date=19 January 2026}}</ref> |Regionalliga Süd |12||2||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||12||2 |- |2012–13<ref name="kicker1213">{{kicker season|christopher-schindler|2012-13|access-date=19 January 2026}}</ref> |Regionalliga Bayern |7||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||7||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !39!!3!!colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||39!!3 |- |rowspan="7"|1860 Munich |2010–11<ref name="kicker1011" /> |2. Bundesliga |16||1||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||16||1 |- |2011–12<ref>{{kicker season|christopher-schindler|2011-12|access-date=19 January 2026}}</ref> |2. Bundesliga |30||1||2||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||32||1 |- |2012–13<ref name="kicker1213" /> |2. Bundesliga |18||0||3||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||21||0 |- |2013–14<ref>{{kicker season|christopher-schindler|2013-14|access-date=19 January 2026}}</ref> |2. Bundesliga |26||0||2||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||28||0 |- |2014–15<ref>{{kicker season|christopher-schindler|2014-15|access-date=19 January 2026}}</ref> |2. Bundesliga |29||1||2||0||colspan="2"|—||2||0||33||1 |- |2015–16<ref>{{kicker season|christopher-schindler|2015-16|access-date=19 January 2026}}</ref> |2. Bundesliga |33||1||3||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||36||1 |- !colspan="2"|Total !152!!4!!12!!0!!colspan="2"|—!!2!!0!!166!!4 |- |rowspan="6"|Huddersfield Town |2016–17<ref>{{soccerbase season|82953|2016|access-date=19 January 2026}}</ref> |Championship |44||2||0||0||1||0||3{{efn|Appearances in championship play-offs}}||0||48||2 |- |2017–18<ref>{{soccerbase season|82953|2017|access-date=19 January 2026}}</ref> |Premier League |37||0||1||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||39||0 |- |2018–19<ref>{{soccerbase season|82953|2018|access-date=19 January 2026}}</ref> |Premier League |37||1||0||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||38||1 |- |2019–20<ref>{{soccerbase season|82953|2019|access-date=19 January 2026}}</ref> |Championship |45||2||1||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||46||2 |- |2020–21<ref>{{soccerbase season|82953|2020|access-date=19 January 2026}}</ref> |Championship |12||0||0||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||13||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !175!!5!!2!!0!!4!!0!!3!!0!!184!!5 |- |rowspan="3"|1. FC Nürnberg |2021–22<ref>{{kicker season|christopher-schindler|2021-22|access-date=19 January 2026}}</ref> |2. Bundesliga |30||1||2||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0||32||1 |- |2022–23<ref>{{kicker season|christopher-schindler|2022-23|access-date=19 January 2026}}</ref> |2. Bundesliga |26||0||4||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0||30||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !56!!1!!6!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!62!!1 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !422!!13!!20!!0!!4!!0!!5!!0!!451!!13 |}
{{notelist}}
==Honours== '''Huddersfield Town''' *EFL Championship play-offs: 2017<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39995791 |title=Huddersfield Town 0–0 Reading |first=Ian |last=Woodcock |publisher=BBC Sport |date=29 May 2017 |accessdate=26 May 2018}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category}} *{{Fussballdaten}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20110925043740/http://www.tsv1860.de/teams/profis/spieler/2011-2012/christopher-schindler-83/lebenslauf Christopher Schindler] at tsv1860.de {{in lang|de}} *{{Soccerbase}}
{{Huddersfield Town A.F.C. Player of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schindler, Christopher}} Category:1990 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Munich Category:German men's footballers Category:Germany men's under-21 international footballers Category:Men's association football defenders Category:TSV 1860 Munich players Category:TSV 1860 Munich II players Category:Huddersfield Town A.F.C. players Category:1. FC Nürnberg players Category:Regionalliga players Category:2. Bundesliga players Category:English Football League players Category:Premier League players Category:German expatriate men's footballers Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England Category:German expatriate sportspeople in England Category:21st-century German sportsmen