Leipzig’s ouรฉdraogo Earns first โขGermany โCall-Up, Nagelsmann Hints at World Cup โPotential
RB Leipzigโฃ midfielder Assan โOuรฉdraogo โhas โbeen named โto the german national team for the upcoming โWorldโค Cup qualifiers, marking a swift ascent forโ the 18-year-old talent after overcoming a โseriesโข of setbacks. Theโข call-up comes as a testament to Ouรฉdraogo’s impressive form this season under coach Ole Werner, and aโฃ signal fromโ national team manager Julian Nagelsmann that the young player โis firmly in โcontention for a role in Germany’s future.
Ouรฉdraogo arrived at Leipzig in the summer of 2024 from Schalke, โฃpromptly attracting interest from top โขclubs like Bayern Munich following his standout performance as a 2023 U17 World cup champion.However, a challengingโค first season with Leipzig saw his development stalled โขby a severeโ knee โinjury and โคsubsequent hamstring surgery, limiting โขhim to just five substitute appearances totaling โค70 minutes acrossโค all competitions. Now, fully โrecovered, Ouรฉdraogo has become a โkey player for leipzig, contributing โ2 goals and 3 assists in 10โ Bundesliga matches, helping propel the club to second place โin the league standings.
The nomination follows recent โpraise from Nagelsmann, โwho highlighted Ouรฉdraogo as a potential candidate for inclusion in the World Cupโค squad. “There are many players in the running to break into the team.โข That โcould โขbeโค Ouedraogo, it might very well be Lennart Karl, it could be Tresoldi,” Nagelsmann stated on Monday.
Previously,Ouรฉdraogo expressed a measured approach โขto his national team aspirations. In a September interview withโข BILD, โฃhe acknowledged โthe competition and the need to remain realistic, โstating, “I’m not thinking about that [the A national team] โฃat the moment.You always have โคtoโ be โขrealistic. I was out for a long time, had few minutes of play, and โคthe competition is fierce.”
Ouรฉdraogo’s inclusion in the squad represents a importantโ step towardโ realizing thoseโค ambitions,โ and a clearโ indication of theโฃ opportunities that await with continued strong performances.
