OneFootball
·23 September 2025
In partnership with
Yahoo sportsOneFootball
·23 September 2025
That Jens Castrop will no longer play for the DFB but instead will play his international matches for the South Korean association (his mother's homeland) has been known to most fans – including those of Borussia Mönchengladbach – for a few weeks now.
Now, the 22-year-old may soon face an exceptional situation that Borussia fans might not like at all. According to 'Bild', Castrop is at risk of being drafted for military service in South Korea. In a statement, the new Borussia signing commented: "I am in communication with my management about it. But for now, I am just happy to be a national player. We'll take the rest step by step."
In South Korea, all men between the ages of 18 and 28 are required to complete military service lasting 18 to 21 months. Athletes are not exempt from this.
Heung-min Son was once close to fulfilling his military service, but was exempted due to winning the 2018 Asian Games title, and instead completed only basic military training and a voluntary service.
It is still unclear whether Castrop will actually be drafted and potentially be absent from Borussia for months.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.
📸 Lars Baron - 2025 Getty Images