Kevin Kampl (born 9 October 1990) is a retired professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Born in Germany, he represented the Slovenia national team at international level.
Kampl was born in Solingen, Germany. His parents moved to Germany from Maribor, a city near the Austrian border in northeastern Slovenia. Kampl has dual citizenship and could have played for Germany, but opted for Slovenia early on.
Kampl began his career with the reserve team of Bayer Leverkusen, where he played in the German fourth division.
On 30 August 2010, Kampl signed a one-season loan contract with SpVgg Greuther Fürth. He made his first team debut on 29 October 2010 as a late substitute in a 2. Bundesliga tie with Erzgebirge Aue. After only half a season for Greuther Fürth, he returned to Bayer Leverkusen during the 2010âÂÂ11 winter transfer window. Kampl made his Leverkusen 2010âÂÂ11 season debut as a second-half substitute in the UEFA Europa League game against Metalist Kharkiv.
In the summer of 2011, Kampl transferred to 3. Liga side VfL Osnabrück. After having played a great season for Osnabrück, he joined newly promoted 2. Bundesliga club VfR Aalen for a transfer fee of â¬250,000. However, he played only four matches for Aalen, scoring two goals and assisting another three.
This start drew the attention of well-financed Austrian champions Red Bull Salzburg and they acquired him just before the end of the transfer window by fulfilling his release clause in the amount of â¬3 million. Kampl was nominated for the best player of the Austrian Bundesliga at the beginning of the 2013âÂÂ14 season, but had to eventually concede to Philipp Hosiner.
On 22 December 2014, it was announced that he would join Borussia Dortmund on a five-year contract for a â¬12 million fee on 1 January 2015. He was originally going to RB Leipzig. He made his debut on 31 January 2015. On 28 April 2015, in the DFB-Pokal semiâÂÂfinal against Bayern Munich, Kampl came on in the 83rd minute for Jakub Bà Âaszczykowski and was sentâÂÂoff after receiving a second yellow card; Dortmund went through to the final via a penalty shoot-out.
On 28 August 2015, Kampl returned to Bayer Leverkusen on a five-year deal. He made his debut on 12 September 2015 versus SV Darmstadt 98. On 26 September, Kampl scored his first goal for Leverkusen in a 3âÂÂ0 away win against Werder Bremen. Later, on 20 October, he scored his first UEFA Champions League goal in a 4âÂÂ4 home group stage draw against Roma.
On 31 August 2017, Kampl joined RB Leipzig on a four-year contract for a transfer fee of â¬20 million. He made his debut for the club on 8 September 2017, setting up Timo Werner's second goal in a 2âÂÂ0 win away at Hamburger SV. Five days later, he was part of the club's first ever starting eleven in the UEFA Champions League, a 1âÂÂ1 draw with AS Monaco.
On 20 September 2018, Kampl captained Leipzig for the first time in a UEFA Europa League match against his former club Salzburg.
Kampl was part of the Leipzig team that made four DFB-Pokal finals in five years between 2019 and 2023, lifting the trophy in 2022 and 2023. Along with Willi Orban, Lukas Klostermann, Emil Forsberg, Konrad Laimer, Amadou Haidara and Marcel Halstenberg, he was one of seven players to have featured in all four of the clubâÂÂs finals.
On 19 October 2023, Kampl extended his contract with RB Leipzig until June 2026.
On 3 January 2026, Kampl and RB Leipzig agreed to terminate his contract at the end of January due to personal reasons.
Kampl made his senior debut for Slovenia on 12 October 2012, starting in a 2âÂÂ0 away win against Cyprus. He scored his first goal on 6 September 2013 against Albania, which Slovenia won 1âÂÂ0. Kampl scored his second goal in a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying match against San Marino, the second of their 6âÂÂ0 win. In October 2016, the Slovenian squad released a statement "condemning Kampl's absence from both games." In response, Kampl stated "Firstly, I always play with pride and happiness for Slovenia and I intend to do so in the future, and secondly, I have made it clear I will be available next time, I just need some rest now."
Kampl retired from the national team in late 2018 for personal reasons. He earned 28 caps and scored 2 goals.
Red Bull Salzburg
RB Leipzig
Individual