Hertha Berlin fans haven't had much to cheer about in recent years. Their decade-long stay in the Bundesliga ended after the team slumped to an 18th-placed finish in the 2022-23 season, just four years on from Lars Windhorst's €224 million minority takeover that came with the billionaire's promise to build a "true ‘big-city club’, like those in London or Madrid."
Fast-forward to the present day, and that feels like nothing more than a pipedream for Hertha. Windhorst is long gone, with 777Partners having acquired a 64.7 per cent majority stake in March 2023, and he left a €40m debt hanging over the club that has yet to be paid, while there has been no immediate surge back towards the German top-flight.
Hertha came ninth in the 2. Bundesliga in 2023-24 and flirted with relegation for much of last season, with Cristian Fiel relieved of his managerial duties in February. However, the subsequent appointment of Stefan Leitl has provided a much-needed lift. The former Greuther Furth and Hannover boss eventually guided Hertha to the safety of 11th place, and has Hertha firmly in the mix for promotion at the midway point of the current campaign.
Leitl has transformed Hertha into a far more organised, disciplined outfit, but has also been unafraid to take risks. The one that has paid off most so far is the fast-tracking of 16-year-old Kennet Eichhorn, who has established himself as a regular starter in just a few short months.
The all-action midfielder has made the Hertha faithful start believing again, earning a spot in Germany's Under-17 set-up along the way. But his future surely lies away from the Olympiastadion. Indeed, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Barcelona all reportedly registered their interest in Eichhorn ahead of the January transfer window.
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Where it all began
On July 27, 2009, Eichhorn was born in Bernau, a historic German town just 10 kilometres northeast of Berlin, and developed a passion for football soon after learning to walk. At the age of six, he started playing for local club SV Muhlenbeck 1947, under the watchful eye of his father, Christian, and youth coach Mike Vielitz.
Eichhorn stood out from his peers straight away thanks to his ability and worth ethic, according to Vielitz, who told : "It was immediately noticeable that Kenny decided games. He was incredibly ambitious and even asked on his own if we could train three times a week instead of two."
Vielitz added on Eichhorn's natural leadership traits: "Where other children of that age only looked out for themselves, he was a team player. He always had a motivating influence on his team-mates. Everyone knew that he would go far if he didn't get seriously injured or fall in with the wrong crowd."
After two years with Muhlenbeck, Eichhorn caught the eye of Hertha, who drafted him into their U9s squad in 2017.
It was love at first sight for Eichhorn, too, who said in a recent interview with the club's official website: "Hertha is like family to me. I grew up with the club. The first time I was in the Olympic Stadium, it immediately ignited a dream in me that I wanted to become a professional here and absolutely wanted to play down there on the pitch."
Eichhorn rose through the ranks quickly, and in January 2024, he inspired Hertha's U15s to glory at the Pape Cup, picking up the Player of the Tournament prize after the team's emphatic 6-0 final victory over FC Magdeburg. Hertha claimed the C-Juniors Regional League Northeast title four months later, with Eichhorn once again earning most of the plaudits.
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The big break
Eichhorn went on to make his big breakthrough in the summer. Leitl invited the teenager into first-team training at the start of pre-season due to a lack of options in the middle of the park, with Paul Seguin, Diego Demme and Pascal Klemens all out injured.
Leitl was not allowed to use Eichhorn in Hertha's friendlies because he was still too young at 15, but had no doubts over his ability. "He's really progressing well, both physically and in terms of his understanding of the game," said the Hertha boss. "He's very eager to learn; we've already had many conversations with him."
Eichhorn also made an immediate impression on his team-mates, with veteran centre-back Toni Leistner telling reporters: "What the lad can do is astonishing. Clear-headed, not at all arrogant. I'm sure Hertha will get a lot of enjoyment out of him."
Hertha were also forced to speed up the drafting of Eichhorn's first professional contract after Eintracht Frankfurt made a play for his signature. The Olympiastadion outfit pulled out all the stops to keep the homegrown ace, who committed to terms through to 2029 on July 4.
"It's absolutely crucial for me that my development in all areas never stops, that's why I see Hertha as the best place for me," Eichhorn declared after signing the deal.
Enamoured by Eichhorn's progress on the training pitch, Leitl included the youngster in his squad for Hertha's first league game of the 2025-26 campaign against Schalke, which they lost 2-1, though he did not make it off the bench. He did, however, come on for the final 22 minutes of their 0-0 draw at home to Karlsruher the following week, in the process becoming the youngest debutant in 2. Bundesliga history at 16 years and 14 days old.
A delighted Leitl said when quizzed on Eichhorn's performance: "I couldn't care less whether he's 16 or 17. He's a huge talent for Hertha. He was in the spotlight today. In many of his actions, you could see what might be in store for us in the coming years. I'm completely convinced by him; he did a good job."
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How it's going
Eichhorn also made a substitute appearance in Hertha's 2-0 defeat to Elversburg at the end of August, before Leitl named him in the starting XI for the first time away at Hannover on September 13. That saw Eichhorn set another record as the 2. Bundesliga's youngest-ever starter, but he played like a seasoned professional, completing 86 per cent of his passes, winning six of his 11 ground duels and posting four recoveries.
Hertha eased to a 3-0 win to finally secure their first three points of the campaign, and Leitl singled Eichhorn out for special praise: “Sixteen years old, playing in front of 50,000 fans against a top side – for me, he was by far the best player on the pitch."
Since that special moment, Eichhorn has been one of the first names on Leitl's teamsheet. The teenager has started eight of Hertha's last 12 league games, and produced a star turn in their 6-1 rout of Kaiserslautern in the third round of the DFB-Pokal on December 2, during which he notched Hertha's third goal, finishing low past the goalkeeper after a clever run into the box, which saw him become the youngest scorer in the club's history and beat Jude Bellingham's record as the youngest scorer in the DFB-Pokal since the Second World War.
At international level, the Hertha sensation has also emerged as a talismanic presence. Eichhorn has served as captain in each of his four appearances for Germany's U17s, and bagged a brace in their 4-0 European Championship qualifying win against Luxembourg in October.
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Biggest strengths
Eichhorn is a natural No.6 who knows instinctively when to slow or speed up play and does his best work in tight areas, drawing opponents in close before opening the game up with an incisive pass or penetrating run. His first touch is flawless and he reads the game brilliantly, while he also possesses the ability to put the ball on a sixpence from anywhere on the pitch.
Others get more credit, such as forwards Luca Schuler and Fabian Reese, but Hertha's rise from bottom-half fodder to genuine promotion contenders has been driven by Eichhorn. He orchestrates the play and sets the standard with both his decision-making and execution, while his stamina and balance belie his age.
Reese is among those to have been blown away by Eichorn's impact, saying: "He is an incredible, exceptional talent. If he continues like this, all doors will be open to him. I have rarely seen anyone so talented at that age."
Indeed, it won't be long before Eichhorn outgrows Hertha. It's not normal for a 16-year-old to be this influential and level-headed, and he is fast becoming a specialist in a position that has grown exponentially in importance at the elite level over the last few years.
