David Raum: Germany’s breakout star who bases his game on Liverpool’s Robertson & More News Here

Few issues final endlessly, which is why an ex’s title is reportedly probably the most generally eliminated tattoo. The newest ink on David Raum’s chest, a Christmas current to himself, does seem fairly future-proof, nevertheless.

Whatever would possibly occur in years to return, the 24-year-old is and can be “Living the Dream”: a soccer fairytale, going from a Bundesliga 2 squad participant to one in every of Europe’s only full-backs inside a few years.

Tuesday evening’s 1-1 draw with England in Munich supplied but extra proof of the Franconian’s fast rise. Starting towards top-level opposition in aggressive worldwide soccer for the primary time, Raum was among the finest gamers on the pitch alongside Ilkay Gundogan and Jamal Musiala, successfully curbing the attacking instincts of Bukayo Saka and offering a relentless crossing menace vast on the left facet.

His dynamic efficiency was spectacular sufficient to supply a tantalising prospect: at this autumn’s World Cup, Germany may area their first doubly-proficient left-back since Philipp Lahm switched flanks in 2010.

If that looks as if an exaggeration, think about the dearth of choices within the nationwide group’s largest drawback place. At greatest, Joachim Low was in a position to area defensively strong however offensively guileless gamers equivalent to Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich, 2012), repurposed centre-back Benedikt Howedes (Schalke, 2014) and Cologne stalwart Jonas Hector (2016 and 2018), or wing-back Robin Gosens (then Atalanta), the final of whom necessitated an-ill fated system change to a few on the again finally 12 months’s Euros.

Hansi Flick, too, has been compelled to improvise since taking cost 10 months in the past, casting right-footed Thilo Kehrer (Paris Saint-Germain) and Jonas Hofmann (Borussia Monchengladbach), a large ahead by commerce, on the “wrong” facet.

Raum is a unique breed. Naturally left-sided and attacking-minded, he tried his hand in quite a lot of ahead roles at second-division Greuther Furth with out ever actually convincing.

There was discuss of him going to a third-division membership to get some common game time in 2019, and he solely grew to become a starter after Stefan Leitl’s assistant coach Andre Mijatovic had painstakingly re-educated him to play as a left-back.

“Mijatovic is a defensive expert who explained the back line’s movement and one-vs-ones to me,” Raum stated. Crucially, he proved wanting to study.

“David might look like a tough guy from the streets, but he’s actually very calm, very considered, open to new ideas and always willing to listen to good advice,” a long-term pal tells The Athletic.

????️ David #Raum: “You can learn so much here, even when it comes to the professionalism of individual players. We’re taking everything on board and are trying to implement it and improve ourselves in those areas.”#DieMannschaft #GERROU pic.twitter.com/kqGxysba2D

— Germany (@DFB_Team_EN) October 6, 2021

In his new place, Raum was a revelation in 2020-21. His 15 assists and one purpose performed an enormous half in serving to Furth win promotion to the Bundesliga a 12 months in the past, and he performed each game in Germany’s triumph on the Under-21s European Championship.

Out of contract final summer time, he was in a position to take his decide from six top-flight provides earlier than choosing Hoffenheim. It solely took a handful of video games for his new golf equipment earlier than Flick referred to as him up for his nationwide group debut towards Armenia (a 6-0 win) in September.

In the six video games which have adopted, together with a 1-1 pleasant draw with the Netherlands, Raum has been constantly first rate, alternating his marauding runs down the flank with good defensive consciousness and general sense of positioning that’s a superb instance of nominative determinism: his final names interprets as “space” in English.

At Hoffenheim, Raum performed as a left-back and a wing-back, placing in crosses of astonishing high quality and amount. He registered 13 assists and scored three targets, a tally that comfortably surpasses the efforts of most full-backs not referred to as Trent Alexander-Arnold in Europe.

A take a look at his underlying numbers (through Statsbomb and fbref.com) exhibits how shut he has been to the world’s greatest defensive vast gamers final season — his anticipated assists (xA) have been comfortably forward of Andy Robertson, whom he considers his massive position mannequin. Raum, who can also be closely into yoga, has learn the Liverpool defender’s autobiography to search out cues for additional enchancment.

His lack of expertise in worldwide membership soccer would possibly work towards him beginning on the World Cup, however Raum’s type has caught a lot consideration in latest months that he’s unlikely to spend many extra midweek nights in entrance of the tv.

Since ninth-placed Hoffenheim missed out on European participation, the membership may very well be tempted to money in on him this summer time, reserving an enormous revenue after solely 12 months.

“I’m thinking about things, that’s natural,” Raum stated two weeks in the past when requested a couple of doable transfer to Borussia Dortmund, whose issues at left-back are practically as acute as Germany’s. However, they must offload one or two well-paid gamers earlier than they will afford a price north of €20 million.

“I would have liked to play in Europe with Hoffenheim but unfortunately that didn’t happen. It remains a dream of mine.”

If a switch to Borussia received’t materialise, sources near the participant anticipate yet one more dream to return true earlier than too lengthy: Raum is a large Premier League fan. So watch this area. Literally.

(Photo: Sebastian Widmann – The FA/The FA through Getty Images)

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