In Leipzig, the German national soccer team can book their ticket for the World Cup. Right in the middle and as a leading player, RB Leipzig’s captain David Raum goes into the decisive qualifying games.
About Leipzig and with a Leipzig trio to the World Cup: If the German national soccer team plays against Slovakia next Monday (November 17, 2025), the ticket to next year’s World Cup will be waiting.
The squad also includes three kickers from the Leipzig Bundesliga club RBL: David Raum, Ridle Baku and Asan Ouédraogo, who was only nominated on Monday, are part of national coach Julian Nagelsmann’s squad when the final group game is about direct qualification for the tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Room: “This is our living room”
A home game that David Raum isn’t the only one looking forward to: “This is something special. This is our living room, it feels at home,” said the 27-year-old on Tuesday at the DFB press conference in Wolfsburg. And with a view to the Slovakia game: “If you can make the World Cup perfect, that’s a small incentive.”
Nagelsmann praises the “chewing gum” space
RB Leipzig captain Raum was described as “chewing gum” by Nagelsmann on Monday. It doesn’t sound very friendly, but it’s meant in a completely positive way: space is the perfect link between the parts of the team. On the pitch and off the pitch. “He tries to talk to everyone, has a good connection with all the players in the team, has a good connection with everyone and can keep them together,” praised Nagelsmann.
Baku about space: “Has developed personally”
For RBL teammate Nicolas Seiwald, the lawn ballers’ rise to second place in the Bundesliga also has to do with Raum’s role as the new RB captain, as the Austrian said last Saturday (November 8, 2025) in ZDF’s “Aktuelles Sportstudio”. And winger and Leipzig colleague Ridle Baku also joins in the praise: “He has developed personally. I always knew that he could kick,” said Baku, who can remember duels against Raum from earlier U17 and U19 times. “He connects the parts of the team in Leipzig. And he does the same here in the national team.”
Baku (left) and space (right).
Space: Extremely dangerous to score through “Favorite toy”
However, Raum wants to be more than just a connection player. “An emotional leader is what I want to be. We have world-class players in other positions. I concentrate on what I can do.” Driving the team emotionally is part of it. “Or I hit a free kick by chance,” smiles the former Fürth and Hoffenheim player.
His goal contributions are anything but coincidence. At RB Leipzig, the fully tattooed winger works extra shifts after training on “my favorite toy, the free-kick wall that we have in Leipzig.” It simulates a real defensive formation, adjusts to the size of the opposing team and can even jump up. “It’s fun because I train for a few minutes after every session,” reveals the 32-time national player. Even the national team’s standard coach has already asked about Leipzig’s free kick wall.
Raum (center) has already scored two free kick goals this season.
“Underrated how many games are decided by set pieces”
“It’s underrated how many games are decided by set pieces,” says Raum, who has proven to be an unusually dangerous goal this season. The Nuremberg native has already scored once in the Bundesliga and in the national team from a direct free kick. He also prepared three goals, two in the DFB jersey and one in the RBL jersey. “If I can beat the standards, it is also my responsibility to ensure that they come out well, which is why I practice it again and again.”
Maybe it will work out with Raum’s goal participation at the national team’s home game in Leipzig next week.
Praise for Ouedraogo: “Brutal physicality”
If you listen to Raum, he would probably like to set up a goal for his Leipzig teammate Assan Ouedraogo. The 19-year-old was nominated by Nagelsmann for the injured Nadiem Amiri and can hope for his debut in the DFB jersey. “When I found out yesterday that he was there, I called him immediately. He was beaming from ear to ear when he answered Facetime,” reports Raum, who predicts Ouedraogo has a great future: “He has a brutal physique on the pitch. He was injured in his first year with us, now he’s slowly coming along. He’s still not where he can end up with his talent and his skills. We can still hope for a lot from him.”
Leipzig’s Ouedraogo celebrates after scoring a goal for RB.
In the “living room” in Leipzig next Monday (November 17th), not only “chewing gum” and “emotional leader” room, but also Ouedraogo and Baku hope that they can make their contribution to getting the World Cup ticket.
