Noah Atubolu: Who is the Freiburg goalkeeping talent who has worked his way to the fringes of the Germany squad?
Goalkeeper Noah Atubolu has become a Bundesliga force at boyhood club Freiburg. After a strong record with Germany's U21s and two senior call-ups from Julian Nagelsmann, the penalty-saving expert is making a strong case for further international involvement ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
*Stats correct as of 4 March 2026
Age: 23 (born 25 May 2002)
Club: Freiburg
Position: Goalkeeper
Country: Germany (22 U21 caps)
Key stats
Atubolu was a Freiburg player for almost 10 years before he made his first-team debut during the 2022/23 campaign. The 6'3" custodian faced St. Pauli in a victorious DFB Cup second-round tie (2-1). He then recorded his first clean sheet as a pro in a 2-0 win over Sandhausen in the last 16 of the cup.
Having been the club's number one goalkeeper since the start of 2023/24, Atubolu has kept 25 clean sheets in his first 84 Bundesliga appearances. In 2024/25, the young goalkeeper set a new club record at Freiburg after going 609 minutes without conceding a goal, surpassing Richard Golz's previous best. He has also saved five consecutive penalties in the Bundesliga, setting a new league record by overtaking Hans-Jörg Butt, Bernd Leno, Frank Rost and Thomas Zander.
Watch: Atubolu's penalty heroics for Freiburg
The Freiburg native has represented Germany since U17 level, and was the U21s' first-choice goalkeeper when they finished runners-up to England in the 2025 Euros. He was called up to Germany's senior squad for two international windows during October and November 2025, but is yet to make his debut for Julian Nagelsmann's side.
Plays a bit like: Manuel Neuer
Broad shoulders, a sizeable wingspan and lightning reactions enable Atubolu to pull off some stunning blocks at close quarters. He's also super confident on the ball, boasts laser-guided distribution and once scored a goal from inside his own half for Freiburg's U17s.
We're not saying the Freiburg youngster is the 'next Manuel Neuer' - the Bayern Munich and Germany goalkeeper-revolutionary is arguably the game's greatest-ever in his position - but there are some similarities.
Watch: Atubolu's flying save vs. Hoffenheim in 2025/26
Did you know?
While Atubolu would do well to match a fraction of Neuer's legendary list of achievements, there is one metric in which he has already surpassed the Bayern shotstopper - his 22 caps make him the record appearance-holder for a goalkeeper with the Germany U21s, two ahead of Neuer's 20 recorded between 2006 and 2009.
What they're saying
"Noah exudes presence and confidence, and is mastering all the elements of a very good goalkeeping game." - Freiburg sporting director Klemens Hartenbach
“How you perform on the pitch will be vital. Atu has that, and he is a top guy.” - Freiburg head coach Julian Schuster on Atubolu's hopes of making Germany's 2026 World Cup squad
"It's a massive step up from the 3. Liga to the Bundesliga, but Noah's been brilliant. He's got more talent than I had at his age." - ex-Freiburg No.1 Mark Flekken on his successor
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