Younes Ebnoutalib’s remarkable rise from the Regionalliga to the German national team has taken another significant step, with the Eintracht Frankfurt striker revealing that Jürgen Klopp played a major role in his decision to represent Germany rather than Morocco. The Frankfurt-born 23-year-old was eligible for both countries and confirmed on Tuesday that he had spoken with Morocco national-team coach Mohamed Ouahbi. The contact, however, was not especially intensive.

“I spoke with him [Ouahbi], but it wasn’t particularly intense contact,” Ebnoutalib said while speaking to reporters at Germany’s training camp in Herzogenaurach. “I love both countries. They’re both my countries of origin. I’ll definitely continue supporting Morocco as well. When Kloppo calls you, you [nevertheless] have to go.”

Ebnoutalib’s extraordinary journey continues

Few members of Klopp’s collection of first-time Germany call-ups have travelled as far as Ebnoutalib in such a short period. As recently as 2024, the striker was playing Regionalliga football for FC Gießen. Elversberg subsequently acquired him for approximately €50,000 in January 2025, initially making use of him primarily with the reserves before his extraordinary goalscoring breakthrough in the 2. Bundesliga.

Three consecutive braces followed by a hat-trick transformed Ebnoutalib from an obscure fourth-tier prospect into one of Germany’s hottest young strikers. Eintracht Frankfurt eventually beat Wolfsburg to his signature, agreeing to a package worth a reported €10 million to bring the Frankfurt native home. Frankfurt officially completed the transfer shortly before the January window opened, handing Ebnoutalib a contract through 2031.

Questions naturally remained as to whether his ascent had come too quickly. Ebnoutalib answered some of them almost immediately. He scored on his Bundesliga debut against Borussia Dortmund, admitting afterwards that he had briefly felt overwhelmed when running through on goal in front of the Frankfurt crowd.

Momentum was cruelly interrupted only days later when Ebnoutalib suffered a knee injury against VfB Stuttgart. He ultimately managed only five Bundesliga appearances during the second half of last season. His response this summer was emphatic.

The striker described that opening-day treble as an important confidence boost following the injuries that had disrupted his first months in Germany’s top flight. Four goals across the opening four Bundesliga matchdays have now carried him all the way into Klopp’s first senior Germany squad.

Klopp call leaves Ebnoutalib in tears

The new Bundestrainer had already taken an interest in Ebnoutalib before formally selecting him. Klopp visited Eintracht Frankfurt training in early September, at which point the pair first discussed a possible future with the national team. When Klopp’s name subsequently appeared on Ebnoutalib’s phone during a training-free day, the striker still did not anticipate what was coming.

“To be honest, I didn’t think much about it at first,” Ebnoutalib told reporters when asked how he received Klopp’s phone call. “I was at the sports complex because I didn’t have practice that day. Then I saw the name and I thought to myself, ‘Wow, that’s crazy’.”

“I didn’t take it too seriously at first,” he continued. “I thought maybe he was just phoning to see how I was doing. Then he told me, and I was just full of joy. I was speechless for a moment. I didn’t know what to say.”

Only afterwards did the significance of the moment fully register.

“To put it candidly, after the conversation, a few tears came,” Ebnoutalib said. “Because I started thinking about where I was a couple of years ago. It’s just crazy that things can proceed so quickly and that all that hard work and persistence paid off.”

Ebnoutalib also described Klopp as “one of the best coaches in the world” and praised the positive energy the former Liverpool trainer has already brought into his first Germany camp.

The Frankfurt striker now has a realistic opportunity to complete the journey with a senior international debut. Ebnoutalib and Kai Havertz are the only two nominal center-forwards in Germany’s first squad for Thursday’s Nations League match away against the Netherlands and Sunday’s home fixture against Greece.