How the boy from the village disco became a German European Championship star

Scored one goal himself, prepared two more: Robin Gosens was there Germany wins 4-2 over Portugal the outstanding player on the field. UEFA gave him the “Star of the Match” award, and the Bild newspaper promptly declared him a European Championship hero and the player “whom the whole of Germany fell in love with”. For the 26-year-old, who comes from Emmerich (North Rhine-Westphalia) and grew up just 500 meters from the Dutch border, a dream is coming true these days - because his career is anything but ordinary for a professional footballer .

Gosens did not attend a performance center in his youth, but rather made his way into professional football through various amateur clubs. After school he actually wanted to become a police officer and did various job interviews, but then he signed his first professional contract and the matter was off the table. When a scout discovered him, he still had residual alcohol in his blood But Gosen's career was also special in other respects. Because he lived his youth to the fullest. When he was discovered by a scout at the age of 17, he still had residual alcohol in his blood from partying the day before. “I was one of those who believed that I could play a little better with three atü on the kettle. So we drove to the big game in Kleve and were excited for the kick-off, despite the violent atmosphere the evening before. Our team was really good and a lot was going on. As for me, I actually played exceptionally well. Scored a goal, took a penalty and provided an assist. We won 3-1,” he says in his biography.

Here Robin Gosens (No. 20) scores with his head against Portugal. © APA/afp / MATTHIAS HANGST

And further: “Afterwards I just wanted to take a shower and go home to spend the rest of the day in bed, when suddenly a guy stood in front of me and said to me in broken German: 'Robin, that might sound good “It seems a bit strange, but I would like to invite you to a trial training session at Vitesse Arnheim.”

Gosens then had to struggle with amusing problems. “'Okay,' I thought, 'the good guy is serious. Now I have to somehow try to hide the fact that I was partying until six o'clock and still have residual alcohol in my blood.' I did my best and avoided eye contact. To be on the safe side, I also breathed in a different direction. You know that. Somehow I must have actually managed to hide my flag, because the invitation to the trial training continued even after we said goodbye.” Eleven Serie A goals as a defender After that, his career slowly but surely took off - even if he was later rejected after a trial training session at Borussia Dortmund. Gosens made his way to Atalanta (1 million euros transfer fee) via Vitesse and Heracles Almelo (1,17st Dutch league), became a major performer there and made it into the champions with his team for the third time in a row this year League. Gosens is considered an extremely dangerous defender: this year the new German European Championship hero - whose regular position is the left side of defense in the five-man chain - scored eleven goals. No other Serie A defender has hit the mark so often.

Another anecdote from Gosens' life is interesting. When he played in the Champions League for the first time with Atalanta in the 2019/20 season, there was a 1-5 defeat against Manchester City. After the final whistle, the 26-year-old went to Ilkay Gündogan and asked to swap his jersey. “He looked at me,” says Gosens in his biography, “and wondered why I spoke German so well. Ilkay just didn't know who I was. But that was okay.” Since Saturday at the latest, not only Gündogan but the entire football world has known who this Robin Gosens is – and what achievements he is capable of.

Football

Italy

International leagues

International

Winter sports

Hockey

Tennis

Other sports

Motorsport

Cycling

Watersports

Events

Favorites

How the boy from the village disco became a German European Championship star

Suggestions

Comments (0)