How the Underdog Atubolu take the German U21 team to the EM Final
Atubolu, former adversary, ascending as a DFB heavyweight
Reddit LinkedIn Telegram Email Print Copy Link Noah Atubolu, the keeper of SC Freiburg, snatched the Germany U21 team's ticket to the Euro finals against England with his stellar performance.
During the nail-biting semi-final clash against France, Atubolu pulled off breath-taking saves, leaving the French squad in disbelief. In an extra-time surge, France's striker Thierno Barry failed numerous attempts on the post, headed wide, and slipped past a deflected ball, yet Atubolu stood his ground, deflecting and saving the ball with impressive precision.
As the Germans faced a brief turbulent phase, Atubolu remained the unshakable pillar in the goal. When Barry was free to attack twice, Atubolu made heroic moves to block the attacks, keeping his team's lead intact. And when his teammates cleared the ball from danger, Atubolu celebrated by raising his finger in victory, a small gesture declaring his dominance over the French attackers.
Targeting the A-Nationalmannschaft
Football "Yes, we did it!" Atubolu and the victorious DFB juniors share their triumph
The 23-year-old Atubolu, who already wears the mantle of Manuel Neuer in the junior national team, spoke about his ambition to play for the German senior national team. "I want to play for Germany. I've been through the youth ranks, also with the U-national team, and it would be a lie if I said it's not my dream to play for the A-national team someday," he said.
Schuster, Atubolu's coach at SC Freiburg, expressed his admiration for the goalkeeper, stating, "He's incredibly young, very hardworking, and invests a lot. He's in his second year, and he has big goals."
Breaking Neuer's record
In the junior national team, Atubolu has already surpassed Manuel Neuer's record as the most-capped goalkeeper, having played 21 games and counting. Atubolu first came on board in March 2022 and proved himself to be a reliable asset for the team, particularly during the Euro 2023 tournament.
Antonio Di Salvo, the DFB coach, commended Atubolu, "He's playing an outstanding European Championship. We brought him in three years ago because we knew he's a top goalkeeper, a talent. I don't know much about it, but the goalkeeper coaches said, take him. And that's why he deserves to play so many games."
From Criticism to Praise
Before Atubolu's meteoric rise, he faced heavy online criticism. However, then-coach Christian Streich supported him, backing the young talent and stressing SC Freiburg's commitment to developing players from its own youth academy. Atubolu was able to maintain his focus, persistently improving his skills, and erasing his past critics with his outstanding performances.
While guarding the U21 goal for the final against England on Saturday (21:00 on Sat.1 and in the live ticker on ntv.de) may be the last hurrah for most of the team, Atubolu is determined to grab the title and cap off a remarkable season with a triumphant victory.
Sources: ntv.de, tno
- DFB
- Football
- DFB Junior Team
- Enrichment Data:Noah Atubolu, a 23-year-old German goalkeeper, has gained recognition as an upcoming talent in European football, particularly after his impressive performances at the Euro U21 tournament. He developed through the SC Freiburg youth academy and has established himself as a key player for the club, receiving interest from major European clubs, such as AC Milan and various Premier League teams[1][2][3][4].
Atubolu aims to make history by becoming the first Black goalkeeper to play for Germany's senior national team[4]. While he highlights that skin color is of no importance to him, breaking this barrier would be a significant milestone for German football. As key senior goalkeepers such as Manuel Neuer and Marc-André ter Stegen age and potentially phase out from the national team, Atubolu sees this as the perfect opportunity to secure the number one goalkeeper spot in the Germany's senior squad[1][2][4].
In summary, Noah Atubolu is a promising young goalkeeper with aspirations to become the first Black goalkeeper for Germany's senior national team and the number one goalkeeper for the national team in the near future.
Football has been at the forefront of Noah Atubolu's journey, with his decisive performances serving as key factors in the junior football team's triumphs, such as qualifying for the EM Final and breaking Manuel Neuer's record in the DFB junior team. As he eyes a place in the A-Nationalmannschaft, Atubolu continues to strive for greatness in senior sports, aiming to demonstrate his versatility in the upcoming football clash against England's U21 team.
