Michael John Lema

Michael John Lema (born 3 April 1999) is a professional footballer who plays as a wide midfielder for German club SV Wacker Burghausen.^[2] Born in Tanzania, Lema was a youth international for Austria.

Michael John Lema

Lema with Austria U18 in 2018
Personal information
Date of birth	(1999-04-03) 3 April 1999 (age 26)
Place of birth	Itigi, Tanzania
Height	1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s)	Wide midfielder[1]
Team information
Current team	SV Wacker Burghausen
Number	9
Youth career
2008–2012	SV Dobernik Tristach
2012–2013	Rapid Lienz
2013–2018	Sturm Graz
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2016–2018	Sturm Graz II	47	(23)
2018–2021	Sturm Graz	24	(3)
2020–2021	→ TSV Hartberg (loan)	2	(0)
2021–2022	TSV Hartberg	6	(0)
2022	Lafnitz	7	(0)
2023–2024	DSV Leoben	21	(6)
2024–	SV Wacker Burghausen	33	(6)
International career‡
2017	Austria U18	1	(0)
2017	Austria U19	3	(1)
2019	Austria U20	1	(1)
2019	Austria U21	4	(1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 1 January 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 21:18, 2 June 2020 (UTC)

Club career

On 21 March 2018, Lema signed his first professional contract with Sturm Graz.^[3] Lema made his professional debut for Sturm Graz in a 0–0 Austrian Football Bundesliga tie with Rheindorf Altach on 27 May 2018.^[4] In December 2019 it was confirmed, that Lema would join TSV Hartberg on loan from January 2020 until the end of the season.^[5]

At the end of the 2020–21 season, he moved to Hartberg on a permanent basis.^[6]

On 8 February 2022, Lema signed with Lafnitz.^[7]

International career

Lema was born in Tanzania, and in 2008 was sponsored to move to Austria. He is a youth international for Austria, but has expressed an interest in representing the Tanzania national football team.^[8]