Tottenham came through an early scare by the width of their crossbar in their final public pre-season friendly before Richarlison struck to put the hosts ahead at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday.
Czechia midfielder Adam Hlozek curled a shot against the frame of Antonin Kinsky’s goal for the Bundesliga team, who had been on the back foot during a promising start for the hosts featuring several inviting crosses from new signing Andy Robertson.
Richarlison then swept in first time from Robertson’s low cross from the left after club-record £100 million signing Sandro Tonali had charged through the centre and released the former Liverpool full-back with a perceptive pass.
The match against the fifth-placed finishers in last season’s German top flight continues Spurs’ preparations for their first Premier League campaign with Roberto De Zerbi starting as head coach.
Back where we belong 🫶 pic.twitter.com/fu1GuZ1Pcw
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) August 15, 2026
Tottenham vs Hoffenheim: Richarlison goal
Spurs had sent in both attempts on target by the time Richarlison made the 35th-minute breakthrough, capitalising on one of a string of enterprising runs by Scotland captain Robertson, who arrived on a free transfer in June.
Richarlison’s finish continued the forward’s strong end to Tottenham’s troubled 2025/26 season, including two goals in their closing four matches as part of a run of four in 10 league games to reach 11 for the campaign.
Spurs travel to Brentford on August 22 (17:30 BST) and are aiming to improve on consecutive 17th-placed finishes.
Tottenham team vs Hoffenheim
Tottenham replaced Ben Davies with Marcos Senesi in their one change from their 1-1 draw at home to Getafe in a behind-closed-doors friendly the previous Saturday.
James Maddison, new £85 million signing Mateus Fernandes and Micky van de Ven could return from injury when they meet Hoffenheim again in a behind-closed-doors friendly on Sunday.
Tottenham starting XI: Antonin Kinsky, Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi, Jan Paul van Hecke, Conor Gallagher, Richarlison, Mathys Tel, Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, Sandro Tonali, Mikey Moore
Spurs substitutes: Brandon Austin, Kota Takai, Jamie Donley, Tyrese Hall, Malachi Hardy, Tikaia Elliott-Parris, Thomas Byrne, Adebola Adewole
Hoffenheim team vs Spurs
Hoffenheim made four alterations from their 4-1 defeat to Borussia Monchengladbach in Schwaz seven days earlier.
Leon Avdullahu, Hlozek, Bernardo and Adam Daghim came in, with Bambase Conte, Mats Rots and Cajetan Len moving to the bench and Alexander Prass not involved.
Hoffenheim starting XI: Oliver Baumann, Ozan Kabak, Leon Avdullahu, Adam Hlozek, Bernardo, Adam Daghim, Nathan De Cat, Wouter Burger, Tim Lemperle, Albian Hajdari, Vladimir Coufal
Hoffenheim substitutes: Luca Philipp, Yannick Biedermann, Robin Hranac, Patrick Wimmer, Max Moerstedt, Valentin Gendrey, Bambase Conte, Alessandro Vogt, Koki Machida, Natnael Abraha, Cajetan Lenz, Arthur Chaves, Mats Rots, Nick Spranger, Jamie Honajzer
Where to watch Spurs vs Hoffenheim: TV channel, live online streams
Kick-off on Saturday was at 15:00 GMT (11:00 ET / 08:00 PT). Live streaming is on Spurs Play, which costs £45 a year or £35 for One Hotspur members.
Visit Tottenham’s website for full details.
Tottenham vs Hoffenheim stats
- These teams have met once competitively: a 3-2 away win for eventual champions Tottenham during the Europa League group phase in January 2025
- James Maddison and Heung-Min Son gave Spurs a 2-0 half-time lead in that game. Anton Stach then replied before Son scored again and David Mokwa netted in the 88th minute
- Tottenham also met a German club in their final pre-season match in 2025/26, losing 4-0 at a Bayern Munich side for whom Spurs all-time top scorer Harry Kane netted once and missed a penalty
- Spurs faced German sides in their final two league phase matches in last season’s Champions League, winning 2-0 at home to Borussia Dortmund and away to Eintracht Frankfurt with the help of a Solanke goal in each game
- Their competitive record against teams from Germany is W18 D5 L11, remaining unbeaten in their last six such matches
- Hoffenheim have lost all five of their competitive meetings with English teams, succumbing home away in the Champions League to Manchester City (2018/19) and Liverpool (2017/18) before that defeat against Spurs
- They faced three English clubs during pre-season 2024/25, drawing 2-2 with Norwich City and losing 1-0 to Ipswich Town in Austria before being beaten 2-0 by Fulham in Sinsheim
- Bayern’s Michael Olise (15) was the only midfielder to better Andrej Kramaric’s total of 14 goals in last season’s Bundesliga
- Olise (5) was also the only player to hit the woodwork more times in the 2025/26 division than Hoffenheim forward Tim Lemperle (4)
- Kraichgauer full-back Vladimir Coufal (116) and winger Bazoumana Toure (98), who joined Newcastle in July for £42 million, sent in the most crosses from open play in the top flight aside from Borussia Dortmund’s Julian Ryerson (118)
