17-year-old Yousoufa Moukoko named in Germany's World Cup squad

Rajarshi has been part of Khel Now since 2022, and he covers world football.

Published at :November 10, 2022 at 11:43 PM

Modified at :November 10, 2022 at 11:43 PM

17-year-old Yousoufa Moukoko named in Germany's World Cup squad

The youngster was named in Hansi Flick's team for the upcoming tournament

Hansi Flick has named Dortmund youngster Yousoufa Moukoko to his 26-man World Cup squad. The 17-year-old has been outstanding this season and merited a position in Germany's squad ahead of the competition. His call comes only days after he became the youngest player in Bundesliga history to score ten goals. In 21 games in all competitions, the teenager has six goals and six assists.

It has stunned the youngster, who will be appearing in his first World Cup, since Germany will be attempting to win their fifth World Cup in Qatar, having last won it in Brazil in 2014. However, they were eliminated from the group stage of the 2018 World Cup with an underwhelming performance. This time, they are in Group E, which also features 2010 World Cup winner Spain, as well as Japan and Costa Rica.

Mario Gotze recalled to German squad

There have also been notable omissions. Mats Hummels was a surprising withdrawal, while Marcus Reus and Timo Werner, both of whom suffered injuries, will not take part in the World Cup. Others include Ryan Gosens and Florian Wirtz. The inclusion of Mario Gotze, the 30-year-old who scored the game-winning goal against Argentina in the 2014 World Cup final, was one of the most unexpected; the former Bayern Munich player is enjoying a decent season with Eintracht Frankfurt, where he has three assists in 22 games.

Hansi Flick, who has taken over as Germany's manager for the first time, led Bayern Munich to a treble in 2019-2020. And the stakes are sky-high for him, given that Germany have a strong roster and are one of the favourites to win the World Cup.

A number of European clubs have already courted Yousoufa, and his outstanding performance this season has offered him another chance to excel for his country, and he will be trying to make a statement at his first FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Rajarshi Shukla

After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.