Wael Mohya could make German football history at 17

If you watch the Bundesliga, then you'll know Wael Mohya is a fast-footed, quick-thinking footballer. But not even the 17-year-old (Mohya turns 18 on December 31) Borussia Mönchengladbach youngster would have expected to be called up to the Germany squad so soon.

"Of course, I was absolutely thrilled. It means a great, great deal to me. I think everyone dreams of being selected for the national team at some point," Mohya said.

"And the fact that it's come to this now is, of course, just awesome and makes me very proud."

Mohya was at the gym when the call came in. He then shared the good news with his parents over dinner. "They started crying," the teenager said in a video posted on Gladbach's social media channels.

The youngster, who was born in a small town east of Düsseldorf, smiles and laughs a lot in interviews. He is always friendly, and in a good mood. On the field, too, he exudes the lightheartedness and carefree spirit of a 17-year-old.

As a technically skilled and creative player, Mohya often seeks out one-on-one situations and puts his opponents under pressure with quick dribbles. In nine Bundesliga appearances this season, Mohya has scored twice and delivered one assist.

"He's so cool and just plays really well. It's fun to watch him," Borussia coach Alexander Blessin said recently.

"Wael brings a lot to the team with his laid-back attitude on the field. He's not afraid to take risks, no matter how much pressure there is," added Gladbach's sporting director Rouven Schröder on a talk show on Sport1.

Wael 'Waffel' Mohya working on and off the pitch

Borussia Mönchengladbach has been Mohya's sporting home since he was seven years old. Last season, previous head coach Eugen Polanski promoted him to the first team, and in December 2025, Mohya made his Bundesliga debut. Against Wolfsburg, aged 16 years and 347 days old, he became the youngest Bundesliga player in the club's history.

Mohya also recently completed a voluntary social year at an elementary school in Mönchengladbach. This is a program in Germany for young people who volunteer in social sectors—such as hospitals, schools, or nursing homes—for about six to 18 months. They gain work experience, help others, and earn a little money.

At the school's open all-day care program, Mohya helped serve meals, assisted children with their homework, and played with them. That's also where his nickname comes from. Because a girl hadn't understood his first name correctly or couldn't pronounce it, she called him "Waffel." Now, that name has stuck.

Many clubs interested in Mohya

Even before being called up to the Germany team, clubs in the Bundesliga and across Europe's top leagues had taken notice of Mohya and were trying to sign him. His contract with Borussia Mönchengladbach runs through 2028.

With Gladbach currently in a relegation battle, his future appears likely to be elsewhere. If the club wants to generate transfer revenue from its biggest talent, next summer would likely be the opportunity to sell him—unless he extends his contract with Borussia.

The 17-year-old's career is managed by his parents. Whichever club can convince them that their son is in good hands and help him reach his full potential likely has the best chance of securing Mohya's signing.

Mohya himself says he doesn't even know how much he's currently earning at Gladbach.

"My parents take care of all that," he told Bild recently. "I get a monthly allowance, which is more than enough for me."

Germany head coach Jürgen Klopp recently revealed how much he had enjoyed his conversations with the youngster.

"The conversations I had with him were great," Klopp said with a laugh. "I wasn't that confident at 17, but then again, I wasn't that good either."

Decision in favor of Germany over Morocco

Since Mohya's parents are from Morocco, their son also holds Moroccan citizenship. As a result, he could have played for Morocco, but he has now decided against it. In fact, the Moroccan football association had been actively courting Mohya as early as last year and had already reached out to him in the run-up to the 2026 World Cup.

Now, like Frankfurt's Younes Ebnoutalib, Mohya will continue to play in the German jersey, unlike Schalke's Soufiane El-Faouzi, who chose Morocco, or Bayer Leverkusen's Ibrahim Maza, who likely would have been selected by Klopp as well if he hadn't already opted for Algeria.

For Mohya, who played for Germany's youth teams from the U16s through to the U21s, the door to Morocco remains open only as long as he hasn't yet played a competitive match for Germany. If Mohya plays in the upcoming UEFA Nations League games in Serbia or against the Netherlands, another record is on the horizon. Although there were two even younger players who made their debuts in the Germany jersey—Willy Baumgärtner in 1908 (at 17 years and 104 days) and Marius Hiller in 1910 (at 17 years and 241 days)—the era in which they debuted is hardly comparable. And so, while Wael Mohya would rank third overall on the list, he would become the youngest Germany player in the modern era. The youngest to date was Hamburg legend Uwe Seeler in 1954, aged 17 years and 345 days.

This article was adapted from German.