Schalke 04 midfielder Julian Draxler today became the fourth youngest debutant in Bundesliga history aged 17 years and 117 days. Draxler came off the bench in his side's 1-0 home defeat to Hamburg in place of Croatian midfielder Ivan Rakitic.
It has been a swift rise to first-team action for the youngster, who has been with die Knappen since 2001-02. He previously turned out for BV Rentfort and SSV Buer 07/28. He has six caps to his name for the German under-18 side.
Draxler was promoted from the under-19 side after nine goals in twelve games this season. He impressed sufficiently in the club's winter training camp in Belek to be handed his first start in the 3-0 friendly defeat to Trabzonspor before taking his first steps as a Bundesliga player today.
Although the youngest debutant for Schalke in the German top flight, there have been three younger players in the league's 48-year history namely Nuri Sahin (16 years, 335 days), Juergen Friedl (17 years 26 days) and Ibrahim Tanko (17 years, 61 days).
It has been a swift rise to first-team action for the youngster, who has been with die Knappen since 2001-02. He previously turned out for BV Rentfort and SSV Buer 07/28. He has six caps to his name for the German under-18 side.
Draxler was promoted from the under-19 side after nine goals in twelve games this season. He impressed sufficiently in the club's winter training camp in Belek to be handed his first start in the 3-0 friendly defeat to Trabzonspor before taking his first steps as a Bundesliga player today.
Although the youngest debutant for Schalke in the German top flight, there have been three younger players in the league's 48-year history namely Nuri Sahin (16 years, 335 days), Juergen Friedl (17 years 26 days) and Ibrahim Tanko (17 years, 61 days).
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