Assan Ouédraogo has decided to forgo an international trip with the U18 national team. Will he make his comeback with the Schalke pros on Sunday?
On Saturday evening, Assan Ouédraogo will be in Berlin with the FC Schalke 04 professional team, preparing for the difficult away game at Hertha BSC on Sunday (1.30pm/Sky). At the same time, Ouédraogo’s hometown of Mülheim an der Ruhr will be crowning its “Sportsman of the Year” – and the 17-year-old was also up for election. Ouédraogo began his career at Union 09 Mülheim just a few meters away from the Westenergie Hall, where he grew up and went to elementary school.
But now the Mülheim boy has become a professional footballer, and even more: a budding star. He could leave Schalke for big money in the summer of 2024 – he currently has a free choice of clubs from several countries. Ouédraogo has not yet decided what he will do. Since mid-November, his focus has been on two other things: he wanted to get fit again after his serious injury to his right foot (torn syndesmosis) – and he also wanted to concentrate on school, as he is in year twelve at the Berger Feld comprehensive school.
He is now fit again, played one half for the U23s in the regional league match against the U23s of 1. FC Köln (0:1), was on the bench when the professionals picked up a point against Paderborn (3:3) and could even start in Berlin if top scorer Kenan Karaman is unavailable. His focus is currently on the club and his fitness. For this reason, Ouédraogo will not travel with the U18 national team, preferring to play with S04 against regional league side FC Gütersloh (Wednesday, March 20, 7 p.m. – in Gütersloh).
Head of licensing Gerald Asamoah had initially announced that Ouédraogo would forgo the international trip. The U18s will face the Netherlands (20 March), England (23 March) and the Czech Republic (25 March) – a tight schedule. “I think that’s very clever, he was out for a long time,” said Asamoah. Ouédraogo made the decision together with U18 coach Hanno Balitsch.
And will Ouédraogo now be Mülheim’s Sportsman of the Year? That is rather unlikely. Two field hockey world champions are favored