Noah Atubolu, the highly-rated Freiburg goalkeeper, has made a definitive statement regarding his international future, confirming his desire to play for Germany, despite being eligible for Nigeria.
Born to a German mother and Nigerian father, Atubolu has long been on the Nigeria Football Federation’s NFF radar. However, speaking to Sky Germany, the goalkeeper made it clear that his ambition is to play for Die Mannschaft, ending speculation about a potential switch to Nigeria.
Atubolu has represented Germany at U17, U19, and U20 levels, making 15 appearances for the U21 team since his debut in 2022. With Germany’s March internationals approaching, he remains on Julian Nagelsmann’s watchlist alongside Eintracht Frankfurt’s Nnamdi Collins, another Nigerian eligible talent.
Editorial
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Losing Noah Atubolu to Germany is another setback for the Super Eagles, following similar cases with Jamal Musiala, Lukas Nmecha, and Karim Adeyemi. The NFF must adopt a more proactive approach in convincing dual-national players to commit early before European nations secure them.
Atubolu, 22, recently set a Bundesliga record by becoming the first Freiburg goalkeeper to go 510 minutes without conceding, surpassing Richard Golz’s 2001-2002 record. After a goalless draw against RB Leipzig, he extended his streak to 576 minutes, ranking fifth in Bundesliga history for the longest clean sheet run.
Atubolu’s rise proves that Nigeria must prioritize developing top goalkeepers, an area where the Super Eagles have struggled in recent years. While the German-born star has made his choice, Nigeria must now focus on homegrown talents and other promising options abroad to strengthen their goalkeeping department.
Did You Know?
- Atubolu holds the record for Freiburg’s longest clean sheet streak (510 minutes), surpassing a 23-year-old club record.
- He has not conceded a goal in 576 minutes, ranking fifth in Bundesliga history for the longest shutout streak.
- Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann is monitoring Atubolu, alongside fellow Nigerian-eligible defender Nnamdi Collins.
- Former Super Eagles coach José Peseiro previously admitted Nigeria faced an uphill battle in convincing Atubolu to switch allegiance.
- The German Football Association DFB previously secured players like Jamal Musiala, Sidney Sam, and Kevin Schade over Nigeria.
