“The reward for good work”: Lemke is now HSV’s record holder! | OneFootball

Alongside starting XI debutant Otto Stange and goalscorer Fabio Balde, two more HSV talents made headlines against SC Freiburg.

With Louis Lemke and Shafiq Nandja, two youth players were on the pitch in the Bundesliga for the very first time. Head coach Merlin Polzin brought on his two youngsters in the fifth minute of stoppage time for Luka Vuskovic and Fabio Vieira.

Lemke made club history with this brief appearance. The junior international, who is only 16 years old, is now the youngest player ever to feature for HSV in the 1st or 2nd division. In doing so, he surpassed Omar Megeed as the previous record holder. While Megeed was 16 years and 359 days old on his debut, Lemke beat that mark by another 145 days.

Across the Bundesliga, the HSV talent now ranks fourth among the youngest debutants ever. Only Youssoufa Moukoko, Linus Güther, and Paul Wanner were younger when they made their first appearance.

Photo: IMAGO

HSV wants to hand Nandja a professional contract

Even though Lemke only touched the ball twice with his head in his few seconds on the pitch and Nandja did not record a single action, the substitutions were a clear signal from the club. After the final whistle, Polzin made it clear that there was much more behind the debut than just a symbolic moment.

Nur die Raute – by HSV fans for HSV fans

“Both have shown great performances in training for months. It is the reward for good work and should also serve as motivation,” explained the HSV coach. It is especially important to the club, he said, “that we offer the boys from the academy a perspective that is also recognized when you work well.”

That HSV wants to rely more heavily on talent in the future is no longer any secret. Nandja, for example, is on the verge of signing his first professional contract. According to Mopo, the center-back is set to receive a four-year deal.

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