Regional league soccer club FC Carl Zeiss Jena has set up a donation account for its former player and coach Heiko Weber, who is apparently seriously ill. "It was with great dismay that we learned of Heiko Weber's serious illness. We immediately felt the need to help in any way we could," the club website stated.
The money will be used to cover the immense costs of pain therapy to alleviate everyday life. The fundraising campaign was initiated by the Honorary Council, the Election Committee and the FC Carl Zeiss Fan Representative.
Weber played 264 games for Jena between 1888 and 2000, with interruptions. He also coached the Thuringians several times and managed to take the team from the Oberliga to the 2nd Bundesliga in 2005 and 2006. Weber, who comes from Thale, has also held various other positions at FC Energie Cottbus, FC Erzgebirge Aue and ZFC Meuselwitz.
"Anyone who knows Heiko knows what an incredibly empathetic person he is. He has played a key role in shaping our club as a player and coach for over 20 years. We stand by Heiko's side and wish him a lot of strength during this phase. And we are sure that the love of the fans, which he has earned with his appearance and his achievements, can give him a lot of strength, which he so desperately needs right now," said Jena president Ralph Grillitsch.
Copyright 2026, dpa (www.dpa.de). All rights reserved
