“My journey here isn’t over yet and there are still a number of things I want to achieve,” Vincenzo Grifo said, quoted by bundesliga.com, after extending his stay with SC Freiburg. That line gets to the point quickly. This is not just a club rewarding a familiar senior player; it is Grifo insisting he still expects to matter on the pitch at 33.
Freiburg's view matches his own ambition. Klemens Hartenbach told bundesliga.com: “Working with Vince is special, whether that’s on the pitch, in the dressing room or in our conversations with him. His consistent performances and the support he provides to his team-mates make him hugely important to the whole group.”
The extension lands with Grifo already established as Freiburg's record goalscorer with 108 strikes in all competitions. He also overtook Nils Petersen as the club's all-time top scorer last season, so this is not a sentimental nod to past service. Freiburg are keeping a player they still trust to produce.
Grifo's reasons for staying
Grifo made it clear that personal ambition is driving the decision as much as comfort or status. Speaking to bundesliga.com, he said: “I’m very ambitious and I want to be on the pitch in every game.” For a 33-year-old signing on again, that matters more than the usual line about experience in the dressing room.
He also pointed to life away from football. “My family was also a major factor. We’ve found a home here in Freiburg, so it was an easy decision for me.” That helps explain why the move feels straightforward from both sides, even without any public detail on the length of the new deal.
There is a lot of history behind that comfort. Grifo has made 360 competitive appearances for Freiburg since joining the club for the first time in 2015, and his place in the club's modern story is already secure. Last season added another marker when he captained Freiburg in their first European final appearance.
Freiburg are still leaning on him
Hartenbach's praise would ring hollow if Grifo had drifted to the edges of the squad, but the recent usage points the other way. He played 361 minutes across his last five matches, which tells you Freiburg were still leaning on him heavily before the extension was announced.
Production is still there as well. Grifo posted 2 goal contributions in those last five matches, with 1 assist against Hamburger SV and 1 assist against SC Braga. His recent average rating across that run was 6.8, a modest number rather than a flashy one, but it fits the broader point: he has not dropped out of games or out of the manager's plans.
That is why this renewal looks sensible from Freiburg's side too. A club that finished 7th in the Bundesliga in 2025 does not hand out deals on reputation alone, especially when the player in question is already deep into his thirties. Grifo still gives them output, continuity and a standard younger players are expected to meet.
The next targets for Grifo and Freiburg
The extension also arrives just before the new campaign begins. Freiburg travel to Fortuna Düsseldorf in the DFB Cup first round on Sunday 23 August, then open their Bundesliga season at home to Werder Bremen a week later.
Grifo has already collected the club scoring record and a place near the top of almost every Freiburg milestone list that counts. He has also made it plain that he is not signing up to wind down. The first chance to show that comes against Fortuna Düsseldorf on Sunday 23 August.
FAQ
Why did Vincenzo Grifo sign a new Freiburg contract?
Grifo said his journey at Freiburg is not over and that there are still things he wants to achieve. He also said he is very ambitious and wants to be on the pitch in every game. Family played a part too, with Grifo saying they have found a home in Freiburg and that the decision was easy.
Is Vincenzo Grifo still important for Freiburg at 33?
Freiburg clearly think so. Klemens Hartenbach said Grifo is hugely important to the whole group because of his performances and the support he gives team-mates. The numbers back that up in a straightforward way: Grifo played 361 minutes across his last five matches and had 2 goal contributions in that spell.
What records has Vincenzo Grifo set at Freiburg?
Grifo is Freiburg's record goalscorer with 108 goals in all competitions. He also overtook Nils Petersen as the club's all-time top scorer last season. Since first joining Freiburg in 2015, he has made 360 competitive appearances for the club.
When is Freiburg's next match after Grifo's contract extension?
Freiburg travel to Fortuna Düsseldorf in the DFB Cup first round on Sunday 23 August. Their Bundesliga campaign starts a week later at home to Werder Bremen.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
