Incredible 16-year-old aims to lead club to Bundesliga | OneFootball

"An unbelievable prodigy. If he continues like this, all doors are open to him. I have rarely seen such talent at this age. He has a huge career ahead of him," Fabian Reese raved a few days ago to 'kicker' about his youngest teammate.

Kennet Eichhorn has only been eligible to play for Hertha BSC's professional team since last Sunday and is already on the verge of making club history. The defensive midfielder could become by far the youngest professional in Hertha's history in tonight's match against Schalke 04 (20:30 hrs).

Since Paul Seguin (calf injury) is definitely out, the freshly turned 16-year-old has already made it into the final matchday squad. If coach Stefan Leitl then also uses his protégé – the Mini-Kroos would beat the previous age record of Boris Lum from last year by over 300 days. Wait – Mini-Kroos?

Yes, in the media landscape, Hertha's gem is being linked with one of the best German players of all time. Why this is both an advantage and a disadvantage for him, you will find out later. Much more important for the moment – where does the comparison come from? Stefan Leitl hinted at it a few days ago to 'Bild'.

"You don't notice his young age. He is really well on track in terms of his physique and his understanding of the game," the Hertha coach explained when asked about Eichhorn, who is already 1.86 meters tall. Maturity and physique combined with a tremendous understanding of the game – skills that have naturally not gone unnoticed by other teams.

Before Eichhorn extended his contract with the Old Lady at the beginning of the month, according to 'Bild' reports, several Bundesliga clubs including Leverkusen and Eintracht Frankfurt were interested in him. But Hertha convinced the DFB junior player, who has been playing for the club since the U9, to stay. Perhaps perfect to continue growing away from the big football stage?

Almost exactly two years ago, a teenager also made a name for himself at the upcoming opponent from Schalke. Assan Ouédraogo scored his first professional goal at the age of 17 in S04's 3:5 defeat against Hamburg on July 28, 2023. After his dream debut, he was even courted by Bayern. Just one year later, he moved to RB Leipzig for ten million euros.

Don't get me wrong: The now 19-year-old may still have a great career ahead of him. But after the initial hype, things quieted down significantly around him.

Slowed down by injuries and fluctuations in performance, the offensive player has only played 21 professional games in the two years since his mega debut – most of them not from the start. Perhaps there was a bit too much attention at the beginning to be able to develop in peace.

By the way, Ouédraogo is not an isolated case. Other players, such as Jan-Fiete Arp, also experienced quite a downfall after an early media hype. Should Eichhorn see this as a warning?

📸 Carlos Rodrigues - 2025 Getty Images

Not necessarily. Because now the Mini-Kroos comes back into play. Unlike the offensive players Ouédraogo and Arp, the teenager's position could benefit him. As a midfielder, Eichhorn will be less measured by goals or assists – which could take some pressure off a young talent at first glance.

Of course, the Kroos comparison alone speaks against this. Being linked with a former world star inevitably raises certain expectations.  Eichhorn, however, is doing it just right – he is focusing on his personal goals: "I want to establish myself with the pros and contribute as best I can to achieving our set goals," he explained to the 'Berliner Kurier' at the beginning of July when he extended his contract.

According to captain Reese, the goal of the Herthaners is promotion, as he told 'kicker'. Who knows, maybe the 16-year-old will lay the first cornerstone towards the Bundesliga on the pitch with Hertha tonight. You should definitely keep an eye on him.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

📸 Carlos Rodrigues - 2025 Getty Images