BVB prospect Albert reveals his big aim: “My dream is to…” | OneFootball

Mathis Albert talks about his big ambitions at BVB, the praise from Niko Kovac, and the progress he has made under the Dortmund coach.

Borussia Dortmund has high hopes for Mathis Albert. The 17-year-old attacking player is regarded as one of the club’s most promising talents. Step by step, he wants to establish himself in the first team. After making his Bundesliga debut last season and leaving a strong impression in pre-season, the American is looking optimistically at the months ahead.

Albert recently drew attention to himself in the friendly against Fortuna Düsseldorf (1:2), when he scored Dortmund’s only goal. Head coach Niko Kovac was impressed afterwards by the youngster’s qualities. “You can see what abilities he has. He is quick, strong in the air, and I have to say he really put in a lot of effort,” praised the BVB coach.

The attacking player himself is pursuing long-term goals and is not thinking only about goals or assists. “My dream is to become an important player for the club and stand out — to be a real leader and help the team win games,” Albert explained to Sky. At the same time, he emphasized: “I don’t want to reduce my game to statistics alone. My main goal is to get better every day and develop as much as possible.”

How Niko Kovac has improved Mathis Albert at BVB

The youngster describes the step up to the senior squad as a special experience. After joining the first team on a permanent basis for the first time in February, everything developed rapidly. “Everything happened pretty quickly, but it has been really enjoyable to get these new opportunities,” said Albert, who is now also part of Dortmund’s tour of Asia.

Photo: IMAGO

He says he has improved significantly in one area in particular under Kovac. The coach demands intense defensive work and a high work rate from his attacking players — requirements that Albert says have helped him progress. “The demands are higher, for example in terms of the running workload and the spaces that need to be covered — especially in the new, more central position. That has definitely helped my game a lot.”

As his sporting role model, Albert names none other than Kylian Mbappé. The French superstar has impressed him ever since childhood. “Even when I was younger, I admired him — the way he plays and how he carries himself on and off the pitch.”

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