Monday begins what is probably the most special journey of his life so far. Then Wael Mohya is driven to the meeting point of the German national football team in Herzogenaurach.
From the hope in the relegation battle to the squad of national coach Jürgen Klopp: Mohya's rapid rise continues. Despite his club Borussia Mönchengladbach's weak start to the season in the Bundesliga, the 17-year-old is the whiz kid in German football. But what exactly sets the teenager apart?
The German-Moroccan, who was born on December 31, 2008 in Mettmann near Düsseldorf, has been playing for Borussia since he was eight years old. With the U17 he became German champion in the summer of 2025, a few weeks later he made his debut in the Bundesliga on December 13th in the home game against VfL Wolfsburg (1:3) and set a club record on this 14th matchday.
Wael Mohya scored his debut goal against FC Bayern
At just 16 years and 347 days, he replaced Marko Marin as Gladbach's youngest Bundesliga player. And on matchday 25 of the previous season, Mohya scored his first Bundesliga goal – against FC Bayern.
The midfielder has now played 23 league games for Borussia and scored four goals. Most recently he shone in the 3-2 win against VfB Stuttgart with a goal and an assist. "Wael obviously gives us a lot with his relaxedness on the field. He has the courage, no matter how great the pressure is," said sports director Rouven Schröder in the "One-two" on Sport1.
Mohya has long since become a beacon of hope for Gladbach in the relegation battle. “You have to imagine that at 17 years old as Borussia’s hope, but he handles it well,” said Schröder. And Borussia coach Alexander Blessin also praised: "He's so cool and just does it well. It's fun to watch him."
Jürgen Klopp: “He’s doing really well”
National coach Klopp also sees Mohya as an exceptional talent: "There aren't many 17-year-olds who are currently playing in the Bundesliga. And that's an outstanding feature. But he's also doing it well, he's doing it really well."
It is unclear whether the teenager will be used in the upcoming Nations League games in Serbia (November 13th) and against the Netherlands (November 16th). Should Klopp use him, Mohya would be only the fifth player under the age of 18 to make his debut for the selection.
Youssoufa Moukoko last broke this mark in November 2022 - at 17 years and 361 days. Only Uwe Seeler (1954, 17 years and 345 days), Marius Hiller (1910, 17 years and 241 days) and Willy Baumgärtner (1908, 17 years and 104 days) were even younger at their debut.
Mohya would be 17 years and 317 days old if he played against Serbia in Belgrade, making him the youngest debutant in post-war history. Overall, after Hiller and Baumgärtner, he would be the third youngest player to ever wear the jersey of the German senior national team.
Mohya herself is taking the increasing hype in stride. “I have a family around me that keeps me grounded,” the youngster said in a recent television interview. Knowing full well that his performances arouse desire from other clubs. His contract in Mönchengladbach is valid until 2028.
Advice from a world champion
The teenager recently received advice for the future from someone who made football history at Borussia. Club president and 1974 world champion Rainer Bonhof said on "Sky": "He should get the spurs and the experience he needs from us to get started. I think we are the right address for him at the moment."
Klopp said: "I've had three conversations with him now, they were great. So I wasn't that self-confident at 17, but I wasn't that good at 17 either. So I'm really looking forward to Wael."
It's about Klopp getting to know the player, said Borussia coach Blessin. "We have to wait and see more, like: How does he behave around the national team? It's definitely a great story for Wael and for us as a club."
Mohya is not the only candidate Klopp wants to get to know and, if necessary, test in the coming months. "We want to maintain that in the future if possible. Always have a position where we say, okay, come on, let's see whether he plays, whether he even makes it into the squad," said the national coach.
