Mark Maria Hubertus Flekken is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen and the Netherlands national team.
Born on 13 June 1993 in Kerkrade, Netherlands, he grew up in Bocholtz in the Limburg region near the German border.
Flekken is known for his shot-stopping ability, composure with the ball at his feet, and distribution skills, having started his footballing days as an outfield player before converting to goalkeeper around the age of ten.
His parents, René and Annie, both played football, and the family has deep ties to the local amateur club RKVV WDZ in Bocholtz.
Siblings
Mark has a younger brother named Roy Flekken, who is also a goalkeeper.
Roy has played at amateur and lower levels in Germany and the Netherlands, including for clubs such as Landesliga side Inde Hahn earlier in his career, and has been involved with the family’s local club WDZ.
Career
Flekken began in the youth ranks at RKVV WDZ in Bocholtz before moving to Roda JC Kerkrade and then, in 2009, across the border to Alemannia Aachen.
He signed his first professional contract there in 2011 and broke into the first team during the 2012–13 season in the 3. Liga after the club parted ways with its previous goalkeeper.
He then joined Greuther Fürth in 2013, spending time mainly with the reserves and making limited first-team appearances in the 2. Bundesliga.
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In 2016 he moved to MSV Duisburg, where he established himself as a regular and helped the side win the 3. Liga title in 2016–17, earning promotion.
He scored a rare goal for a goalkeeper during his time there.
In 2018 he transferred to SC Freiburg.
After limited opportunities early on and recovery from injury, he became the first-choice goalkeeper, featuring regularly in the Bundesliga, reaching the DFB-Pokal final in 2021–22 (runners-up), and helping the club qualify for European competition.
He kept numerous clean sheets and earned his first senior Netherlands call-ups during this period.
In May 2023 Flekken joined Premier League side Brentford, where he was the primary goalkeeper for two seasons (2023–25), making dozens of league appearances and contributing with both saves and progressive passing.
In June 2025 he returned to Germany, signing for Bayer Leverkusen on a multi-year deal.
Internationally, he debuted for the Netherlands in 2022 and has earned around a dozen caps, including selection in the squad for UEFA Euro 2024.
Accolades
With MSV Duisburg, Flekken won the 3. Liga title in 2016–17 and the Lower Rhine Cup that same season.
He also contributed to SC Freiburg II’s Regionalliga Südwest title in 2020–21. At senior level with Freiburg he was a DFB-Pokal runner-up in 2021–22.
Individually, he earned Premier League Save of the Month for February 2024 (for a notable stop against Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Pedro Neto) and received further recognition for his performances at Brentford, including high rankings in saves among Europe’s top leagues in certain periods.
He has represented the Netherlands at Euro 2024.
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