With his debut goal, Vitalie Becker helped FC Schalke 04 secure their eleventh win of the season at Fortuna Düsseldorf. The 20-year-old thanks his coach.

Another matchday, another win, another celebration. Things couldn’t be going better for FC Schalke 04 in the 2. Bundesliga right now. On Friday evening, the Royal Blues celebrated a 2-0 (1-0) away win at Fortuna Düsseldorf in front of 20,000 traveling fans and will thus finish Matchday 15 as league leaders.

Vitalie Becker played a major role in this, sealing the deal in the 81st minute with his 2-0 goal in a match where Fortuna Düsseldorf, despite being a man down, still had a chance to equalize.

Becker had made a good run following a throw-in on the right side and received the ball on the left wing. From there, the 20-year-old drove into the penalty area, outwitted a defender, and finished with the poise of a seasoned top striker. It was the left-back’s first professional goal. Notably, Becker didn’t run to the fans to celebrate, but to his coach, Miron Muslic. Why?

“I’m very grateful to him,” he told Sky, adding: “I wasn’t really on the radar before the season. The coach gave me the chance, and that’s why I wanted to thank him.”

As recently as this summer, there were rumors of a possible transfer. But Muslic wanted to keep the 20-year-old. “Something like that,” Becker laughed and explained: “I went through preseason training, performed well, and gave it my all. He liked that, which is why things turned out the way they did.”

Just recently, the coach praised the development of the junior national team player, whom he has been working diligently with. Earlier this week, a video circulated on social media showing Muslic working with Becker on aerial duels and defending high balls. The coach took on the role of the opponent.

“It’s not easy,” Becker said of the older but very physical Muslic. “But that’s the good thing about it—it’s close to game situations, and that helps me improve. The fact that he’s doing this is perhaps better because he was a striker and has a feel for how the opponent moves. That helps me a lot.”

Right now, this is also helping FC Schalke 04, which, after its eleventh win of the season—already one more than in 2024/2025—can dream of promotion. At least the fans are, because like his teammates, Becker gave the standard response: “We know things are going well. But we’re keeping our feet on the ground and taking it one game at a time.”