For the first time, national coach Joachim Löw calls the Freiburg striker Luca Waldschmidt in the national team. The top scorer in the U21-EM is the next stage of a remarkable development.
With less than 1.81 meters Gian-Luca waldschmidt anything other than a header of the ball-monster. However, at the 20. May 2017: the absolute will. On the last round of the Bundesliga season, Hamburger SV needs a victory against VfL Wolfsburg, in order to avoid the aisle in the Relegation play-off. When the score was 1:1 Waldschmidt, is in the 86. Minute substitute. Two minutes later the striker screwed a tailor-made cross from team-mate Filip Kostic in the air and heads to the acclaimed winner. Wolfsburg to Relegation, the HSV remains in the Bundesliga. The Hero of the day is Luca Waldschmidt. Celebrates his goal in the style of a true world-class striker: He’s imitating the cheers of the French Strikers, Antoine Griezmann. A model for forest Schmidt, in those days, when HSV is still far away.
Luca Waldschmidt seconds after his crucial headed goal for Hamburger SV in may 2017.
Long start-up time in the football League
Because that just Waldschmidt of the match would be the winner for Hamburg, had not indicated just. The striker had previously scored just under 30 inserts a Bundesliga goal. Neither HSV nor for his training club, Eintracht Frankfurt. Forest Schmidt had in the youth of outstanding quotas In the U17 League, where he starred in 40 Games 30 hits, even in the U19 League, he was unerring: 14 goals in 29 games.
However, the Transition to the pros is for all the talents, a decisive Moment – and also waldschmidt was not easy. In Frankfurt he writes, although in 2014 a professional contract, however, comes in the following two years, only 15 bets in the German football-upper house. Frankfurt would be able to keep the Talent happy, however, Waldschmidt wants more playing time and will switch to Hamburger SV. However the club is in a kind of permanent crisis. This makes it for young players is difficult. After his decisive goal against Wolfsburg, many are hoping that the forest, Schmidt is now making the breakthrough. In the following season, he brings it on over twenty missions. A goal succeeds only once more, against VfL Wolfsburg, a short time before the end of the season. This time everything nothing helps: The HSV descends.
Family Man Waldschmidt
The second League would be in the home and forest Schmidt, not a new experience. Father Wolfgang graduated in the 80s there 14 games for SV Darmstadt. The whole family, forest, Schmidt is crazy football: In Hamburg, Luca lived with his Cousin, Sven Waldschmidt, who played for the top division team Altona 93.
Also the Hessian hometown club, SSV Oranien Frohnhausen, are to be found in the game list still has several forest Schmidt. Luca is described by his surrounding as a family man, often departs to his home in the Western woods – and then at the edge of the field, and his Relatives at the Kick watching.
Quantum leap at SC Freiburg
After the descent of the HSV Luca Waldschmidt takes it professionally, from the North to the South: The SC Freiburg prefers the opt-out clause in the contract of the striker who goes for five million euros to the team of Christian Streich. You can still see a lot of potential in the player, it is, in the promulgation of the Transfers. A popular phrase in the football Business. But what is the potential of the new number 11 of the Freiburg has, he shows in the following season. In the tranquil Breisgau, he soon becomes a regular player. He takes responsibility, shoots in place of Nils Petersen in the penalty. And he finally meets regularly in the Bundesliga. Nine gates to succeed him in the past season.
Luca Waldschmidt celebrates a goal for SC Freiburg against Hannover 96.
Suddenly, the tournament’s top scorer – and focus on other clubs
Then the U21-Europe comes in last June’s championship in Italy and San Marino. And as in the past, in the youth teams of Eintracht Frankfurt for Luca Waldschmidt succeed among peers suddenly almost everything: Whether by Lupfer, long shot or free kick every Ball seems to find the way into the goal. With seven goals he is top scorer of the tournament, shoots the team into the final, where Spain is stopped.
Forest Schmidt’s performances awaken naturally the interest of other clubs. Of Lazio or Benfica Lisbon, the speech is also in the League, many clubs now look in more detail. So a tournament performance can provide a young professional in front of alluring offers. However, in contrast to his Idol, Griezmann, the switches for 120 million euros from Atletico Madrid to FC Barcelona, can Luca Waldschmidt doesn’t make any speculation about a possible change of volume. He clarifies: I stay in Freiburg. He was grateful for the Chance which gave him the Club says the striker.
Luca Waldschmidt in the semi-finals of the UEFA European under-21 championship. In addition to a penalty, he succeeds in a free-kick shortly before the end, which brings the team to the finals.
In Breisgau in good company
Recently, forest Schmidt said he had started last season, to feel like a player in the Bundesliga. With his now 23 years, he has in League games soon the magical 100 in front of the chest. With his mark from last season with nine goals, he will not be satisfied. In the first two season games Waldschmidt hits directly. It could be his season. You can do it also in Freiburg for the national players, had proved last year, a team-mate, forest Schmidt: storm mate Nils Petersen stood in the provisional world Cup squad. And a glance at the Freiburg club’s history, it is striking that also the record scorer of the Breisgau, with 83 hits, no stranger: Germany coach Joachim Löw.