Timo Horn

Youth career

Horn started his youth career at SC Rondorf and joined 1. FC Köln, a club he supported, in 2002.^[4][5] At the age of 15, he rejected Liverpool.^[4] He was on both the senior and reserve team squads for both the 2010–11 and 2011–12 seasons.^[6] However, Horn only made appearances for the reserve squad in those two seasons.^[6]

1. FC Köln

Upon Köln's relegation to the 2. Bundesliga following the 2011–12 season, their top two keepers, Michael Rensing and Miro Varvodić, were released from the club, allowing Horn to become the team's first choice goalkeeper entering the 2012–13 season, receiving a vote of confidence from ex-caretaker manager Frank Schaefer.^[7]

Köln proceeded to spend two seasons in the 2. Bundesliga, finishing 5th in 2012–13, and 1st the following year, earning a promotion back to the Bundesliga. Horn started all but three games in net over those two seasons, finishing with 27 combined clean sheets, including a league-leading 16 in 2013–14. As a team, Köln gave up merely 20 goals during the season, well ahead of the next fewest FC Ingolstadt, who allowed 33. Following the season, Horn was voted by Köln fans as the Player of the Season.^[8]

Horn made his Bundesliga debut against Hamburger SV on 23 August 2014, recording a clean sheet. In fact, Horn began his Bundesliga career by not allowing a goal in his first four matches, a feat previously never accomplished.^[9] On 19 December 2014, Horn signed a contract extension to stay at Köln until 2019,^[10] citing his childhood dream of playing for Köln in the Bundesliga as a hometown player.

Following the 2015–16 season, Horn was once again voted as the team's Player of the Season.^[11] Making 33 starts, Horn recorded 8 clean sheets while giving up 40 goals.

On 8 April 2018, Horn signed a contract extension with Köln, keeping him at the club until 2022.^[12] He left Köln in July 2023, having spent 21 years at the club.^[13]

Red Bull Salzburg

On 6 January 2024, Horn joined Austrian Bundesliga club Red Bull Salzburg on a six-month contract.^[14] However, he was unable to displace Alexander Schlager as Salzburg's first-choice goalkeeper and made only three Bundesliga appearances late in the season after Schlager sustained an injury.^[15] Salzburg finished as runners-up for the first time since 2013. Following the expiration of his contract, Horn left the club at the end of the 2023–24 season.^[16]

VfL Bochum

After the expiration of his contract with Red Bull Salzburg, Horn returned to Germany, signing with Bundesliga club VfL Bochum on 2 August 2024.^[17][18] Initially serving as a backup to Patrick Drewes, he made his competitive debut on 15 February 2025, keeping a clean sheet in a 2–0 victory over Borussia Dortmund after Drewes was sidelined with illness. Following his performance, manager Dieter Hecking promoted Horn to the starting role, keeping him in goal even after Drewes' return.^[19] On 1 March, Horn made a critical error in a 1–0 defeat to TSG Hoffenheim,^[20][21] but recovered with a standout performance a week later, playing a key role in Bochum's 3–2 away victory over Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena on 8 March. His display earned him a place in kicker's Team of the Week.^[22] Bochum finished bottom of the Bundesliga and were relegated to the 2. Bundesliga, with Horn making 13 appearances during the campaign.^[6]

Despite the club's relegation, Horn remained at Bochum for the following season.^[23] At the halfway point of the season, kicker listed him among the best goalkeepers in the 2. Bundesliga.^[24]