Leipzig’s ouédraogo Earns first Germany Call-Up, Nagelsmann Hints at World Cup Potential
RB Leipzig midfielder Assan Ouédraogo has been named to the german national team for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers, marking a swift ascent for the 18-year-old talent after overcoming a series of setbacks. The call-up comes as a testament to Ouédraogo’s impressive form this season under coach Ole Werner, and a signal from national team manager Julian Nagelsmann that the young player is firmly in contention for a role in Germany’s future.
Ouédraogo arrived at Leipzig in the summer of 2024 from Schalke, promptly attracting interest from top clubs like Bayern Munich following his standout performance as a 2023 U17 World cup champion.However, a challenging first season with Leipzig saw his development stalled by a severe knee injury and subsequent hamstring surgery, limiting him to just five substitute appearances totaling 70 minutes across all competitions. Now, fully recovered, Ouédraogo has become a key player for leipzig, contributing 2 goals and 3 assists in 10 Bundesliga matches, helping propel the club to second place in the league standings.
The nomination follows recent praise from Nagelsmann, who highlighted Ouédraogo as a potential candidate for inclusion in the World Cup squad. “There are many players in the running to break into the team. That could be Ouedraogo, it might very well be Lennart Karl, it could be Tresoldi,” Nagelsmann stated on Monday.
Previously,Ouédraogo expressed a measured approach to his national team aspirations. In a September interview with BILD, he acknowledged the competition and the need to remain realistic, stating, “I’m not thinking about that [the A national team] at the moment.You always have to be realistic. I was out for a long time, had few minutes of play, and the competition is fierce.”
Ouédraogo’s inclusion in the squad represents a important step toward realizing those ambitions, and a clear indication of the opportunities that await with continued strong performances.
