Football – Paul Nebel: Ready for the national team

“I once remembered: As a little boy, I always dreamed of it,” said Paul Nebel in an interview on the website of his club, FSV Mainz 05. This dream could now come true-and the 22-year-old celebrated his debut in the German national football team. Julian Nagelsmann nominated him for the first time for the upcoming caps in the World Cup qualification on Thursday evening in Bratislava against Slovakia and three days later in Cologne against Northern Ireland. “He strikes super flanks, has a good goal and is very galley. I appreciate his certain carefree and the qualities in one-on-one, «the national coach called some good reasons.

The best example of this? The final of the U21 European Championships in Bratislava at the end of June. Germany lost just 2: 3 against England after extra time. Fog repeatedly prevailed on the left offensive side, fought many balls and kept the DFB team with a goal and a template for his Mainz colleague Nelson Weiper for a long time. He even overshadowed Nick Woltemade, the actual star of the team, who switched from VfB Stuttgart to Newcastle United a few days ago for 90 million euros. Nagelsmann also stated that “Paul was one of the most striking offensive players at the U21 European Championship.”

Grew up on the Rhine

Nevertheless, the native of Bad Nauheimer is preserved for his club. “I think he has to play in Mainz for a year and then we can sell it for 80 million euros. That’s okay, ”joked coach Bo Henriksen about the future of the midfielder. Already in 2016 Nebel came to the club as a 13-year-old, went through the youth teams and developed a regular place in the first team in 2024. Before that, he was awarded to Karlsruher SC for two years, where he was able to collect a lot of playing time in the second division and develop step by step. When he returned to the Middle Rhine, he was ready for the Bundesliga.

In the past season, he made a decisive contribution to the success of the Mainz team, scored ten goals and presented seven goals. Because of it, the club also made it to the seventh place in the final table, synonymous with a place in the preliminary round of the Conference League. In the playoffs, Mainz prevailed 4: 1 against Rosenborg Trondheim last Thursday and thus turned the 1-2 out of the first leg – also because fog always caused danger at the front. It is therefore clear that Mainz will compete in the league phase and can play international football at least until the end of the year.

Fog wants to develop further in Mainz

Paul Nebel is already a regular at a Bundesliga club in the European competition and is now playing in the national team – is there any more? In any case, fog itself has not yet been reached at the end of its development. “I already think I still have potential to improve and take the next steps,” he said before the start of the new Bundesliga season – which was not at all rosy: in the first game, fog in the 60th minute saw the red card for a foul, the referee Tobias Stieler justified as an emergency brake. Mainz lost the game against 1. FC Köln through a late goal of Marius Bülter. In the second league game, too, Mainz did not get out against VfL Wolfsburg without the blocked fog.

With his journey to the German team, the debutant also makes an important decision: Because it should actually appear for the national team of Ireland – his grandmother comes from the emerald island. If fog is used in the games against Slovakia or Northern Ireland, it finally binds to Germany. Where he will hope to be able to influence the game similarly to the Mainz dress. The national coach would certainly be satisfied with that.