Noah Atubolu: 'A new generation will take over" | OneFootball

Noah Atubolu on Freiburg's European ambitions, his 'Penalty Killer' nickname and replacing Manuel Neuer

It takes most footballers years to earn a nickname, but Freiburg's Noah Atubolu has picked up his 'Penalty Killer' tagline at the age of just 22. The exciting shot-stopper sits down with bundesliga.com to discuss his record-breaking penalty antics, whether he could stop Harry Kane from 12 yards, and his hopes of succeeding Manuel Neuer as Germany goalkeeper.

bundesliga.com: Firstly, let’s talk about Freiburg. With just nine games to go, you’re fifth in the Bundesliga, just behind the Champions League spots. Could you have expected that at the start of the campaign?

Noah Atubolu: “Well, our expectations come from the fact that we’ve delivered success year after year. We’ve developed consistency over time and that moulds our ambitions, our own goals within the team. Look at last season, I think we finished just one point away from the European spots. Before that, we made the UEFA Europa League, and were so close to the UEFA Champions League. This year, we’re having another really strong season, despite a lot of change at the club. We started with a completely new coaching team – a new head coach, new assistant coaches. Yet we’re still enjoying a really good campaign.”

bundesliga.com: Is Champions League football a serious aim? Mainz, in third place and your next league opponent, are only three points ahead of you…

Atubolu: “Yes, we’ve got a big clash against Mainz coming up. Top performances throughout the season always lead to big clashes in the run-in. We fully deserve to be in this situation. Every footballer enjoys playing top matches; being up there. As for the Champions League question, I can’t really answer that. There’s not much season left to play, and we’ll see where we end up. Things are definitely moving in the right direction. But that’s the challenge, isn’t it? Because last year, it was similar – we were in a good position, and then in the final weeks, we didn’t pick up enough points. The run-in defines the season for every team – not just us but also those fighting at the bottom. We’ll see where everyone ends up.”

bundesliga.com: What do you think are the key reasons behind the top performances this campaign?

Atubolu: “Right now, definitely our defence. We’ve kept clean sheets in our last six games and are conceding very few goals. We’ve improved in that area. The old Freiburg stereotype of always getting beaten badly by big teams has become a thing of the past. Our last game, against RB Leipzig, was a 0-0 draw. It was open – it could have gone either way. Our first game against Mainz was also 0-0. Our home stadium has become a real fortress. Team spirit has also been key to our success.”

bundesliga.com: You were born in Freiburg, joined the club at a very young age, developed and turned professional here. There are others in the squad – Matthias Ginter, Christian Günter, Max Rosenfelder – to have done the same. How does the club bring so many players through?

Atubolu: “I think it’s just the Freiburg way. They mapped out a path for me and gave me the opportunity. I delivered, and that’s why I was able to follow that path. I’m incredibly proud to be one of many players to have come from the youth team. We’re not just random players; we know the club inside out. We’re a core part of the team’s success this season. That’s exactly what we want to continue. It’s really exciting because we don’t have the financial means like Leipzig or Bayern Munich to buy players for huge sums. Freiburg work differently and we’re successful with this approach, which makes it even more special.”

bundesliga.com: The same applies to the coach, Julian Schuster. He’s been at Freiburg for 16 years, 10 as a player, and was even team-mates with nine of the current squad. Did you think it would work out so smoothly for him as coach after Christian Streich left?

Atubolu: “Again, that's the Freiburg way. Honestly, I had a really good feeling from the start. At our first training session, here at the stadium, 5,000 fans showed up to support this new coaching team. We players wanted it, too and we got off to a good start, which was important. Not everything has gone perfectly – we had a bad stretch about six or seven weeks ago when we lost to VfB Stuttgart, Eintracht Frankfurt, and a few other teams. Everyone suddenly started talking about a ‘crisis’. Now, six weeks later, we’re sitting here talking about completely different things. That’s football – it moves so fast. So, the key is to stay in the moment and enjoy it.”

bundesliga.com: You’ve had to deal with a lot of pressure and criticism in your fledgling career, with any mistakes pounced on by a minority on social media who felt you weren’t good enough. How has that affected you?

Atubolu: “For me, it makes the praise we’re getting now all the more special because it was never easy. Deep down, I always knew what I was capable of. I always believed in myself. But it’s really hard for a young player coming through. I suddenly went from playing in the Bundesliga 3 to facing West Ham in the Europa League in front of 70,000 people. That’s two completely different worlds. The most important thing was gaining experience. No matter how the games went, because I knew that with enough experience, I would get to where I am now and go even further.”

bundesliga.com: You’ve saved four consecutive penalties this season – a Bundesliga record. What’s your secret?

Atubolu: “I think penalties are a huge mental game. Nowadays, it seems like penalties are actually harder to score – players are missing more and more. I’m happy to have the nickname “Penalty Killer” because that’s where the psychological battle starts. Strikers definitely know about it. They study me, just like I study them. I have a few tricks I use and, so far, they’ve worked well. If you’ve got a goalkeeper in front of you making a big show, lots of movement, it gets into your head. But the mind games start way earlier than that – you just don’t see those!”

bundesliga.com: Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane has scored 29 penalties in a row. Do you think those tactics could faze him?

Atubolu: “That’s a crazy record! He actually took a penalty against us earlier in the season, but I was injured at the time. Look, if we’re being real, goalkeepers have nothing to lose when it comes to penalties. The pressure is all on the striker. My record is really strong, but it would be an interesting duel. I’d look forward to it, but also have nothing to lose.”

bundesliga.com: For years, the Germany national team’s goalkeeper position was set in stone, with Manuel Neuer, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Kevin Trapp and others blocking the path. Now, though, new names are being suggested and you’re among them. How do you feel about that?

Atubolu: “It’s nice that my name is being mentioned among seven or eight options, but it would be even better if it were part of a much smaller, elite group. The ‘keepers you named as part of that golden generation are still playing. But eventually a new generation will take over.”

bundesliga.com: On Saturday, you play against Mainz in a proverbial ‘six-pointer’. Does it feel like a bit of a cup final?

Atubolu: “We’re two teams that nobody would have expected to be fighting for European spots. If someone had told me at the beginning of the season that we’d be playing a match like this against Mainz at this stage, I would have signed up for it immediately. It’s going to be a great game, something everyone can look forward to.”

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