The Vereinigung der VertragsfuÃÂballspieler e. V. (VDV) is the professional footballer's union in Germany. It has approximately 1,300 members playing in the German professional leagues. Junior footballers at the beginning of their professional careers can also be members from the age of fifteen. Footballers who have been playing abroad or have retired can remain members.
The union was founded on 15 June 1987 in Offenbach am Main by the former professional footballers Benno Möhlmann, Ewald Lienen and Frank Pagelsdorf, together with colleagues including Guido Buchwald, Florian Gothe, Charly Körbel and Bruno Labbadia. The goal of the union was to work in the interest of the players. Especially important at that time were work and contract conditions, the independence of players, and the democratisation of German professional football. In general, the goal is to give footballers a common voice towards clubs and associations.