Oliver Issa Schmitt

Oliver Issa Schmitt spent almost his entire development at one club. He arrived at 1. FC Köln's academy in 2007, having started out at SV Deutz 05, and worked his way through the youth ranks before stepping up to the reserve side in 2019. Six seasons with Köln II produced 104 appearances and 24 goals, interrupted by two loans that tested him against senior football: a season in the 3. Liga with SC Verl, then a spell at KSV Hessen Kassel in the Regionalliga Südwest.

The breakthrough came in February 2025, when Schmitt made his senior debut for 1. FC Köln in the 2. Bundesliga against Eintracht Braunschweig. He was part of the squad that won the second-division title that season and secured promotion to the Bundesliga, a reward for the years spent in the club's lower tiers.

Rather than fight for a place in the top flight, Schmitt moved on a free transfer to SV Meppen that summer. The switch paid off immediately: he scored 16 goals in 29 appearances as Meppen won the Regionalliga Nord in 2025/26 and earned promotion to the 3. Liga. The following season, FuPa rated him the club's most valuable player, with an 81% rating. Across his career to date, Schmitt has amassed 242 appearances, 81 goals and 17 assists in all competitions, numbers built almost entirely within the Köln footballing family before his move to Meppen.