Assan Ouédraogo: Who is the RB Leipzig prodigy ready to star for Germany?
After overcoming injuries, Assan Ouédraogo has been a breakout star for RB Leipzig in 2025/26, earning a Germany call-up as a result. Here, the Bundesliga gives you the lowdown on the gifted midfielder...
Data correct as of 10 November 2025
Age: 19 (born 9 May 2006)
Club: RB Leipzig
Position: Central/ attacking midfielder
Country: Germany (35 youth caps, five goals)
Key stats
Ouéadraogo's journey started at Schalke, where he spent nine years in the youth academy. He shone bright as early as the 2021/22 term, when he scored seven and provided eight assists in 15 outings for Schalke's U17s as they were crowned German champions, and he continued that form at U19 level. As a result, he broke into the first team at the start of 2023/24 at the age of just 17, starting seven of their first 11 Bundesliga 2 games prior to heading off to the U17 World Cup.
Watch: The best of Assan Ouédraogo at Schalke
The teenager made an immediate impact on his Schalke debut. Even though the Royal Blues lost 5-3 to Hamburg on the opening day of the season, Ouédraogo was on the scoresheet, beating Julian Draxler's record as the club's youngest-ever goalscorer on the same day he became the youngest player in their history.
Having already played four of Germany's six matches as they clinched the U17 European Championships, Ouédraogo helped the team clinch that World Cup in November 2023. With the 2023 bronze Fritz Walter Award medal already under his belt too, it seemed there would be no stopping the precocious talent.
However, injuries had already prevented Ouédraogo from playing a bigger role in the U17s global success, and they would soon curtail his development even further. He made just six further Bundesliga 2 appearances in 2023/24 and, while that didn't stop Leipzig from capturing his services that summer, knee and thigh problems meant he was able to make just five appearances in all competitions in 2024/25, starting none.
Watch: Ouédraogo and the Bundesliga's best teenagers
Fortunately for him, though, Leipzig never lost faith in their exciting signing, and under Ole Werner, he as flourished in 2025/26. Following four substitutes appearances to kick off the campaign, Ouédraogo was awarded his first start on Matchday 4 of the Bundesliga against Cologne.
He grabbed his opportunity with both hands, scoring in the 3-1 triumph, and has been named in the starting XI for every Bundesliga match since. As such, after Nadiem Amiri was forced to drop out of the Germany squad for the November 2025 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Ouédraogo was chosen as his replacement.
Plays a bit like... Xabi Alonso and Michael Essien
Ouédraogo may still be at the start of his career, but he plays the game with experience and composure that belie his age, and he has already shown he has plenty of strings to his bow.
While he may not quite possess the passing range of former Bayer Leverkusen head coach Alonso, Schalke's starlet likes to drop deep and build attacks from there.
However, he is at his best when using his explosive pace and power to break the lines like Essien did at his peak, and his goalscoring record suggests he could add goals to his game as well.
Did you know?
Assan is the son of former professional Alassane, who earned 62 caps for Burkina Faso during a career that spanned two decades. After starting his career at Sporting Charleroi in Belgium, the right midfielder moved to Cologne, where he made three Bundesliga appearances before embarking on a lower-league career that saw him make stops at Rot-Weiß Oberhausen, TuS Koblenz and Rot-Weiss Essen, featuring 70 times in the Bundesliga 2 along the way.
What they're saying
"Assan is intelligent, athletic and has excellent technical training. In addition, his dynamism means he has a lot of forward momentum, meaning he can often create dangerous goal-scoring situations or even score a goal himself.” - Ex-Leipzig sporting director Rouven Schröder
"He has everything, game intelligence, speed, teamwork, goal threat and he can play the final pass.” - Schalke legend Olaf Thon
"He is a wonderfull footballer with a lot of talent. He was integrated immediately because he is completely convincing in terms of his sporting ability." - Former Schalke sporting director André Hechelmann
"What he's been through since he joined us is really tough – mentally as well. Huge praise for the lad. Assan has always been positive. He deserved to start today. And he rewarded himself." - Leipzig captain David Raum following Ouédraogo's first start against Cologne
Related news
Germany new boy Ouédraogo on life at Leipzig
Ouédraogo has put injury despair behind him to star at Leipzig and earn his first call-up to the Germany senior fold.
From Uzun to Karl: Five rising stars
Uzun and Karl have set the Bundesliga alight in 2025/26, but which other youngsters are on the rise?
Leipzig hit Augsburg for six
Ole Werner's side consolidated second place in the Bundesliga table with an emphatic victory at the WWK Arena.