Pflipsen dethroned
©IMAGO
A historic moment occurred in added time during Borussia Mönchengladbach’s 3-1 win in the DFB Cup against Karlsruher SC. When coach Eugen Polanski took Haris Tabakovic off the field, Wael Mohya made his first appearance for the Foals. The 16-year-old midfielder is now the youngest Borussia professional in history – and by a significant margin.
Mohya was 16 years, nine months and 27 days old when he made his first appearance in the Gladbach jersey, making him almost a year younger than Karlheinz Pflipsen, the previous record holder. “With him we had to pay attention to the youth protection law – with an extension it would have been difficult for him. Even if it was only a few minutes – they should take him to the next level again. He still has a lot to learn, but he’s doing it extremely well. I wanted to give him the effort because he deserved it,” said coach Eugen Polanski, who celebrated his first win in the sixth game as Gladbach coach. Mohya made a lasting impression on the professionals in preparation, but a torn medial ligament meant that his debut was postponed until the autumn.
Who is Gladbach talent Mohya?
Mohya has proven in Gladbach’s U17 that he can be a difference player. He celebrated the German championship with the offspring of foals, in which he played a major role, among other things, in the decisive games. In the semi-final against FC Bayern (3:1) he scored twice, in the final against RB Leipzig (3:1) he scored one goal and prepared another. He mostly operates in the attacking midfield. In the latest market value update, Mohya received his first valuation and was valued at one million euros, even though he had not yet played professionally.
TM user and Gladbach expert “BorussenUwe” describes: “Wael Mohya impresses with his exceptionally good playing instincts – he always has the follow-up action in mind and makes clever decisions on the field. He is very advanced for his age, especially when it comes to decision-making. He can be used variably in the offensive, and was there in preparation with the professionals on both wings and as a ten. He is also considered extremely willing to learn and seeks advice from older people Players to develop further. At 16 years old, he is still growing physically and is not yet at the level of a seasoned professional. He lacks physical robustness and fighting strength. He will be introduced carefully and not with a big backpack. (Join the discussion about Mohya in the community here)