But Freiburg held on to Atubolu, gave him confidence in the past Bundesliga season-and should not regret it. In almost all areas, the talented goalkeeper increased, was better in the penalty area defense and when the flanks were intercepted. He even set up a club record, remained for 609 minutes without conceding a goal, powdered the previous best value of Klubikone Richard Golz (510 minutes).
In the meantime, Atubolu is also the undisputed number one in Freiburg. Its development is also noticeable. Associations like West Ham United, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayer Leverkusen are said to have already observed the 23-year-old.
To assert yourself against resistance is not a novelty for Atubolu. He grew up in the Weingarten district under difficult conditions. “I come from an area that is not easy. You have to check who you are with who you could get on because you could get on the wrong track with false friends,” he says in the club podcast of SC Freiburg. But he doesn’t want to miss this time. “I learned to assert myself,” he emphasized. Weingarten also shaped him very well. “We had to get along our way around how we kicked. We played football with record balls next to the street, and we were exhausted.”
The football qualities are characterized by Atubolu today. Despite his young age, he masters the game with the ball on the foot very well. The German U21 national team also benefits from this, because again and again Atubolu introduces attacks by the DFB selection with precise long balls. The last time he will wear the German juniors’ jersey against England on Saturday. His goal is clear: “Now we want the title too.”
And then? Atubolu already has a plan for that. “My big goal is definitely the leap into the A-national team.” He could also write history there. “The first dark-skinned goalkeeper would be something special, that has never been done before,” the “picture” quoted him before the start of the EM. At the same time, he emphasized: “But it doesn’t matter to me which skin color has. In the end, the performance should always decide.” And that currently speaks clearly for him.