Name: Nils Petersen

• Nationality: Germany
• Position: Striker / Forward
• Date of Birth: November 6, 1988
• Place of Birth: Wernigerode, East Germany
• Height: 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)

Club Career (high-level)

• Youth clubs included FC Einheit Wernigerode, Hallescher FC, and Energie Cottbus.
• Professional clubs: Energie Cottbus II / Energie Cottbus, Werder Bremen, SC Freiburg (loan then permanent), Bayern Munich II (loan), VfL Bochum, and notable return spells with SC Freiburg.
• Most prominently associated with SC Freiburg, where he became a key goalscorer in the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga across multiple seasons.

SC Freiburg highlights

• Petersen initially joined Freiburg on loan from Werder Bremen in 2010–11 and later returned permanently (2013–2022).
• He was known for clinical finishing, intelligent movement, and being a reliable penalty taker.
• Across his Freiburg career he scored well over 100 goals in all competitions for the club (including Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga), becoming one of the club’s most important forwards in the 2010s.

International Career

• Represented Germany at various youth levels and made senior debut in 2014.
• Part of Germany’s squad at the 2016 UEFA European Championship and scored notable goals for the national team, including a memorable hat-trick against San Marino in 2016.

Style of Play

• Predominantly a penalty-box striker: good aerially, strong finishing with both feet, and effective in one-on-one situations.
• Valued for experience, positioning, and work rate; often used as a target man or poacher in Freiburg’s attacking schemes.

Retirement / Later Career

• After a long spell at SC Freiburg, Petersen’s playing time decreased in later seasons and he retired from professional football in 2022. He has since been involved in football-related activities and media appearances.

Legacy

• Nils Petersen is remembered by Freiburg fans as a prolific and dependable goalscorer who delivered consistent performances for the club over many seasons.