Borussia Mönchengladbach has found its new gem. On Tuesday evening, during the 3-1 victory against Karlsruher SC in the DFB-Pokal, Wael Mohya, at just 16 years, 9 months, and 27 days old, became the youngest player to wear the club’s jersey in an official competition.
Coming on in stoppage time, the Moroccan-born attacking midfielder had only a few minutes to make his mark on the pitch, but that brief moment was enough to etch his name in the history of the Fohlen. With this appearance, he surpasses Karlheinz Pflipsen, who previously held the record for the youngest player at the club.
Coach Eugen Polanski, staying true to Borussia’s tradition of promoting young talents developed within the club, expressed his enthusiasm after this symbolic moment:
“I am a firm believer that experience is gained on the field. Whether he is 16, 17, or 18 years old, it doesn’t matter: it’s the performance that counts. This boy is very good.”
A young talent nurtured in Gladbach since childhood
Born to Moroccan parents, Wael Mohya joined Borussia Mönchengladbach at the age of seven from 1. FC Mönchengladbach. A true driving force of the golden generation of the U17s, he played a major role in winning the U17 German championship last season, scoring a brace in the semi-final against Bayern Munich and netting again in the final against RB Leipzig.
Since the summer, he has been regularly training with the professional squad, impressing with his maturity and technical ease. His teammate Rocco Reitz has also praised him:
“I am completely convinced by this kid… he has enormous quality!”
A calculated substitution down to the minute
Although his entry into the game was late, it was not by chance. The coach explained that he had to navigate German legislation regarding the protection of minors:
“We had to be careful about the time and the youth protection law,” Polanski shared. “In case of extra time, it would have been complicated.”
Indeed, according to the Jugendschutzgesetz, it is prohibited for a minor to work — or in this case, to play a professional match — after 11 PM. If Karlsruhe had equalized and forced extra time, the club could have faced a fine of up to 30,000 euros. It was only after Haris Tabakovic scored the 3-1 in the 89th minute that the coach could safely bring on his young prodigy.
Towards a new record
After making his mark in the club’s history in the cup, Wael Mohya could soon break another record: that of the youngest player to play in the Bundesliga for Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Unless there are surprises, this moment should not be long in coming.
