Nigeria-Eligible Star Sets Bundesliga Record, Hints at International Future
- Noah Atubolu made history as the first Freiburg goalkeeper to go over 510 minutes without conceding a Bundesliga goal
- The 22-year-old continues to hold out hope for a call-up to the German senior national team ahead of the international break
- Following his unveiling, Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle embarked on a European tour to persuade eligible players, like Atubolu, to commit their international future to Nigeria
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Noah Atubolu has set a Bundesliga record for the longest clean sheet streak by a Freiburg goalkeeper in the German top division.
Freiburg played a goalless draw against RB Leipzig at the Europa Park Stadion on Saturday.
The 22-year-old has made three successive penalty saves in the 2024/25 Bundesliga season.
Source: Getty Images
Atubolu break Freiburg record
The Germany U19 goalkeeper has broken a previous record set by Richard Golz in the 2001/02 season.
According to Onefootball, Atubolu became the first Freiburg keeper to go more than 510 minutes without conceding a Bundesliga goal.
The 22-year-old was named player of the match due to his performances and record set per the Bundesliga.
The young goalkeeper's composure and commanding presence were evident throughout the 90 minutes as he organized his defense and made crucial interventions when called upon.
The former Germany U-17 player has the fifth-longest clean sheet streak in Bundesliga history—having last conceded against Bayern Munich on January 25.
Source: Getty Images
Atubolu pledges loyalty to Germany
Noah Atubolu has expressed his intention to represent the German senior national team.
According to AllNigeria, the Freiburg goalkeeper revealed that his goal is to make his debut for Die Mannschaft in the future.
With the international break approaching this month, Germany is set to face Italy, and the 22-year-old is eagerly awaiting the announcement of the squad list. He is joined by Eintracht Frankfurt’s rising center-back, Nnamdi Collins.
Atubolu has represented his country of birth at U17, U19, and U20 levels, and has earned 15 caps for the U21 squad since his debut in a European Championship qualifier against Latvia in March 2022.
Convincing Atubolu will be tough
Former Super Eagles coach, Jose Peseiro admitted that it will be challenging to convince Noah Atubolu to switch his international allegiance from Germany to Nigeria.
According to Punch, Peseiro faced a goalkeeping dilemma ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, as both Francis Uzoho and Maduka Okoye are struggling with match fitness.
Peseiro mentioned that while they discussed the former Germany U-17 goalkeeper’s potential switch, both he and his staff believe it could be difficult to persuade the goalkeeper to choose Nigeria OmaSportTV.
This is largely due to Atubolu's talent and the promising future he has with the German national team.
The German-Nigerian shot-stopper recorded four clean sheets in ten appearances for Freiburg across all competitions during the 2023-2024 season.
Okoye denies betting allegations
Legit.ng earlier reported that Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has firmly denied the betting allegations that have surfaced against him, with his legal representative calling the accusations unfounded.
The Udinese goalkeeper is currently being investigated for allegedly placing a bet on receiving a yellow card during a Serie A match against Lazio on March 11, 2024.
The suspicion arose after a spike in betting activity surrounding this outcome, leading authorities to investigate further.
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Source: Legit.ng
