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There is a new kid on the horizon as far as German football is concerned. He is just seventeen years of age and is the toast of Bundesliga side Schalke 04 and his name is Julian Draxler. The boy from Gladbeck has already impressed the whole German football fraternity with national squad boss Joachim Loew admitting that the German U-18 player is firmly on his radar for senior team call up. The German national coach has said,
“He has attracted our attention in the last six months. He is a great talent and has a good opportunity to impress with Schalke.
“He is a player who plays with a cheeky and carefree style. We are excited about him.”
The praise from none other than the national boss so early in the career augurs well for Draxler who is lucky enough to have a stalwart in the form of Raul Gonzales by his side who can guide the young boy to a stable future.
Rise to potential stardom
The talents of Julian Draxler came to the forefront when the midfielder came off the bench in the second period of extra time in the quarter final of the DFB-POKAL against FC Nuremberg to score a stunning winner in the dying moments of the game. The wonder goal against Nuremberg reminded many people of Wayne Rooney’s rise to stardom after the England star scored a similar goal as a sixteen year old playing for Everton against Arsenal. Draxler’s timing of the goal had a very unique similarity with that of Rooney’s and we all know what happened to the Manchester United striker and as they say the rest is history.
Watch the goal in this website
“I cannot describe in words what I am feeling,” Draxler told German television after scoring the wonder goal.
“To come on five minutes before the end in a stadium where you have always dreamt of playing and to score such a goal with such a shot in the last minute is just amazing.”
Julian Draxler made his Bundesliga debut on 15 January 2011 against Hamburg that Schalke lost 1-0 to become the Bundesliga’s fourth youngest player. A week later he became the second youngest field player after Dortmund’s Nuri Sahin to ever start a league game against Hannover 96. On April 1, 2011 teenager Draxler scored his first Bundesliga goal against St. Pauli to prove the fact that he has a big heart and head despite the tenderness of his age and Germany might have unearthed an exceptional footballer who is ready to serve country and club for many years to come. Former Schalke manager Felix Magath was the main man behind the scouting of Draxler and there was an outcry in Germany when at the suggestion of Mr. Magath the boy left high school and since February Julian had been training hard on the football pitch in addition to studying for his university entrance exams at Gesamtschule Berger Feld close to the Aufschalke Stadion or the Veltins Arena.
We all wish him the very best and hope that the youngster keeps his feet firmly on the ground and remain at Schalke 04 for a few more years despite lucrative offers being lined up for the coming season. This is the time to nurture one’s raw skills rather than running after fame and money so early in the career.
(P.S.The name Julian Draxler was proposed by my good friend Ambuj Gupta and this article is dedicated to his passion for football and Manchester United.)
