Official | Nicolai Remberg replaces Yussuf Poulsen as Hamburg captain | OneFootball

Hamburg head coach Merlin Polzin has officially named Nicolai Remberg as the club’s new captain ahead of the 2026/27 Bundesliga campaign. The former Holstein Kiel midfielder succeeds Yussuf Poulsen, whose injury-hit first season in Hamburg restricted him to just one Bundesliga start. Polzin had openly acknowledged that Hamburg were reconsidering Poulsen’s captaincy after the experienced Dane spent most of the previous campaign on the sidelines.

Polzin informed the squad of his decision ahead of Saturday’s preseason friendly against Premier League side Everton at the Volksparkstadion. Remberg becomes HSV’s 33rd captain since the foundation of the Bundesliga in 1963. Nicolas Capaldo and Albert Sambi Lokonga will serve as his deputies.

Poulsen will remain part of the leadership structure and is expected to support the trio in a mentoring capacity. The former RB Leipzig striker has completed the full preseason program thus far and already indicated that he would continue accepting responsibility irrespective of whether he retained the armband.

NicolaiRemberg’s rise recognized with captaincy

Remberg’s appointment represents the latest step in an unusual career progression. The 26-year-old was still playing Regionalliga football with Preußen Münster in 2022. He subsequently helped the club earn promotion to the 3. Liga before moving to Holstein Kiel and immediately participating in another successful promotion campaign. Remberg then made 32 Bundesliga appearances for Kiel during the 2024/25 season before Hamburg won the race to sign the versatile midfielder.

He increasingly assumed responsibility during his first campaign at the Volksparkstadion and had already worn the armband in Poulsen’s absence. Remberg’s leadership instincts were particularly visible after Hamburg’s heated Bundesliga match against Wolfsburg. The midfielder stepped into a post-match confrontation after seeing assistant coach Richard Krohn surrounded by opposing players.

Remberg explained afterwards that he could not leave members of the coaching staff isolated during the altercation. He also publicly held his own team accountable during Hamburg’s difficult fight against relegation.

Following another costly dismissal, Remberg branded the club’s disciplinary record “unintelligent and stupid” and demanded that the squad return to its intended style of football.

The formal decision therefore recognizes a leadership role Remberg had already begun performing without permanently holding the title.

Statements on the new captaincy

“Rambo has incredibly high expectations of himself and tries to push his limits higher every day,” HSV head coach Merlin Polzin noted in a club statement.

(Polzin referred to Remberg by his “Rambo” nickname. Fellow HSV midfielder Nicolas Capaldo has, interestingly, been dubbed “Rocky.”)

“That performance mentality is something our HSV should represent so that we can all take the next step together,” Polzin continued. “Yussi helps the trio of Rambo, Nico and Sambi – as well as the entire team – with his incredible international experience.”

“It’s something very special for me to be the new HSV captain,” Remberg himself added. “My career never rose sharply, but it did progress steadily because I always worked on myself. That’s something I’ll continue to exemplify as captain. I want to lead as a person on and off the pitch and always demand that our team reaches 100 percent.”

GGFN | Peter Weis