Tiago Estevao had to wait a long time for his professional debut. Last weekend, the time had finally come.

The 1:1 draw between the Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund’s U23 team and newly promoted VfB Lübeck was a very special match for one Borussia player.

Tiago Estevao, who moved from SV Rödinghausen to Borussia Dortmund’s third-division reserve side in the summer of 2023, made his professional debut. He is currently replacing Marcel Lotka, who is suspended for red, in the BVB II box.

“I’m very happy and satisfied. I’ve been waiting a long time for this moment to make my debut. Unfortunately, we didn’t win. But that’s how it is in soccer sometimes,” said the 21-year-old after his first minutes in the third division.

The 1.93-metre goalkeeper was also able to hint at his great talent in a few actions. Estevao: “I tried to do my best and help the team. The boys gave me great support. I’m grateful to them for that and wanted to repay their trust with a good performance.”

“Magenta Sport” expert Daniel Flottmann, who played with the keeper in Rödinghausen, praised him. Flottmann: “Tiago is a really fine guy with great athletic potential. He has everything a good goalkeeper needs.”

Estevao is considered ambitious and self-confident. After all, he has already had a taste of the big stage in the youth academies of Borussia Mönchengladbach, FC Porto and Bayer Leverkusen. In Porto, he was even able to train with Real Madrid legend Iker Casillas, who was under contract in Porto. “That was a special time for me, of course, and it certainly left its mark on me. He is one of the greatest goalkeepers of our time,” Estevao once told Forecasting.

Under the wing of Uwe Kamps in Mönchengladbach

At Borussia Mönchengladbach, Estevao enjoyed an excellent goalkeeping academy under Foals legend Uwe Kamps and made a name for himself at youth level beyond the country’s borders. “In Gladbach, I was able to go through some of the basic and advanced training and I benefited from the fact that I am also a playful goalkeeper, due to the fact that I still played as a striker at my youth club,” explained Estevao. He has now taken the next step and played his first professional game for Borussia Dortmund II.