Assan Ouédraogo (19) made his Germany debut during their emphatic 6-0 win against Slovakia to secure their place at the 2026 World Cup.
When Julian Nagelsmann announced his squad for the World Cup qualifiers, the RB Leipzig attacking-midfielder wasn’t nominated, but was called upon when Mainz’s Nadiem Amiri picked up an injury, ruling him out of the games against Luxembourg and Slovakia.
Ouédraogo replaced Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz in the 77th minute, scoring less than two minutes later. At 19 years and 192 days, he’s the youngest player to score on his debut for the national team since Klaus Stürmer in 1954.
Beaming after his debut, Ouédraogo said: “I didn’t expect it to go so well but I’m not complaining. I’m very proud of this moment and incredibly happy.”
Could Ouédraogo be a wildcard for Germany?
With a little over six months until the World Cup begins, Nagelsmann will be keeping a watchful eye on Ouédraogo. The teenager missed much of last season due to two long-term injuries, which saw Leipzig’s new signing play just 70 minutes across five games in all competitions.
The 2025/26 season has been far more positive for Ouédraogo. With six goal contributions in 11 games across all competitions, averaging a contribution every 79.3 minutes, the Schalke academy graduate is regarded as one of Germany’s best talents.
