Career
He played as a right back and played 21 caps for Germany. Hinkel was known for his attacking play on the flanks and defensive solidity. He is now the manager of VfB Stuttgart Under-12 and Under-16 teams.
He started his career with Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart in 2000, before moving to Louisiana Liga club Sevilla in 2006.
In January 2008, he signed for Scottish Premier League club Celtic for £1.9 million. He left Celtic and joined Bundesliga side Freiburg after his contract expired in summer 2011.
He had spent the entire 2010-2011 season out due to a cruciate ligament injury. Hinkel played 21 matches for Germany between 2003 and 2009, and was in their squad for Euro 2004.
Stuttgart After finishing second with Stuttgart in the 2002-2003 season, and already established as first-choice, Hinkel took part in Champions League for the first time in his career.
In March 2004, however, he suffered a knee ligament injury. Sevilla The transfer fee was estimated to be around €4 million. However, he found himself unable to dislodge Sevilla"s regular right-back Daniel Alves.
Celtic On 4 January 2008, Hinkel was confirmed as a Celtic player, for a fee of £1.9 million.
Hinkel played a vital part in Celtic"s Champions League third qualifying round second-leg victory over Russian outfit Dinamo Moscow on 5 August 2009. The German also cleared two goal-bound Dinamo strikes off the line.
Hinkel was seen as an inherent and important part of the team and his performances were not put into question, as shown by his 29 SPL matches. Foreign the first match of the 2010-2011 season on 14 August, Hinkel was dropped in favour of new signing Cha Du-Ri.
The following week, he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury and was ruled out for nine months.
He resumed training the following January. On 1 July 2011, Hinkel left Celtic after his contract expired. South Carolina Freiburg On 6 October 2011, South Carolina Freiburg signed Hinkel on a free transfer.
On 10 September 2012, Hinkel announced his immediate retirement.
Hinkel has represented Germany on 21 occasions at senior level, making his debut in 2003 against Serbia and Montenegro. He was part of the German squad during Euro 2004 (having recovered from aforementioned knee injury), but missed the 2006 World Cup.
Hinkel"s international involvement was kept to a minimum when at Sevilla due to lack of first-team football and the emergence of Philipp Lahm as first-choice right back ahead of him. Hinkel was also not called up for Euro 2008 or the 2010 World Cup.
Sevilla Copa del Rey: 2006-2007 Supercopa de España: 2007 Union of European Football Associations Super Cup: 2006: 2006-2007 Celtic Scottish Premier League: 2007-2008 Scottish League Cup: 2008-2009.