At 18 you want to belong. Shedding the remnants of youth and diving into the world of adults. This is also the case with Louis Babatz. The young keeper from FSV Mainz 05 came of age in mid-January. And that’s why the goal he has set for 2024 is only logical: get a taste of professional life and train with the second team. Maybe even with the Bundesliga team. “That would be the next step,” says Louis Babatz confidently.
Babatz is currently guarding the goal for the Mainz U19s. He was only promoted to this year last summer. He quickly established himself as number one there. In the A-Junior Bundesliga, Bayern Munich’s young strikers fire the balls at his goal. FC Barcelona’s talents will soon do the same in the UEFA Youth League. Mainz 05’s U19s will face the Catalans in February; The play-off duel is about reaching the round of 16 of the European youth competition.
German A-Youth Champion
One could almost get the impression that Louis Babatz had long since achieved his goal. Because the goalkeeper, who was born in Wiesbaden, not only competes against the most talented European football players of his age. In spring 2023, Babatz also became German champion. And since the beginning of December he has even been able to call himself world champion. Babatz was part of the triumphant U-17 national team in Indonesia under the leadership of head coach Christian Wück. “2023 was definitely the most eventful year of my career,” summarizes Babatz.
First things first: In April, Mainz 05’s U19s reached the final of the A-Junior Bundesliga. Because the regular keeper was suspended, Babatz, who was still a U-17 player at the time, trained with the U-19s in the final week. Less than 24 hours before kick-off, his coach tells him: You’re playing!
The opponent is Borussia Dortmund. “The night before the final I slept maybe two hours,” Babatz remembers. He is actually a “laid-back guy,” he says, not someone “who has a pulse of 180 in such moments.” This is also why he manages to shake off his mistake when Dortmund equalized in the meantime. Mainz wins 4:2 after extra time.
Father “Bum-Bum-Babatz”
The second annual highlight follows a good six months later. Babatz is on his way home from school when Nico Stremlau calls him. The goalkeeping coach employed by the DFB tells him that he will be the third goalkeeper at the U-17 World Cup in Indonesia. Louis promises his father Christof, once a professional at Mainz 05 for many years and nicknamed “Bum-Bum-Babatz” by the fans because of his shooting power: I won’t be coming home until December 3rd. The day after the final.
Leading player for the U19: Goalkeeper Louis Babatz has good prospects for a professional career in Mainz. : Image: IMAGO/Jan Huebner
Babatz watched the penalty shootout in the final against France from the sidelines of the Manahan Stadium in Surakarta. Two days later, he and his teammates will be welcomed as world champions in Frankfurt’s Römer. Although his chances of playing at the World Cup were almost zero, he always gave 100 percent in training, says Babatz. “To convey to the team that we can really get this thing.”
Babatz is still waiting for his first international match. But if he had had to unexpectedly step in at the World Cup, the risk would probably have been manageable. That’s how Toma Trocha, goalkeeping coach for the Mainz 05 U19s, sees it. “Louis can always be thrown in,” he praises, “he’s not someone who swims with nerves.” He saw it for himself at the final of the A-Junior Bundesliga can.
“No one who holds back”
If he had to paint a picture of the 1.88 meter tall keeper Louis Babatz, it would be that of a “brutal goal defender,” describes Trocha. Translated from technical jargon, this means: Babatz is someone who can seemingly nail down his goal, who has a high rate of saved balls, who is efficient on the line and strong in one-on-one situations.
“He’s not someone who holds back,” says Trocha. “He’d rather have his helmet shot off his neck.” Babatz takes his cues from this country’s elite goalkeepers. What he likes about Marc-André ter Stegen is that he acts like an eleventh field player. However, he still needs to work on his own offensive game, says goalkeeping coach Trocha. His protégé has improved in his decision-making. And as a regular goalkeeper for the U19s, Babatz “developed good consistency.”
Alex Westhoff Published/Updated: Recommendations: 14 Peter H. Eisenhuth, Mainz Published/Updated: Elisabeth Schmelzerl, Munich Published/Updated: Recommendations: 4
Strengthened by his sporting performance, Babatz is now one of the leading players in the team, reports Trocha. “He’s a very smart guy. You can also chat with him in training and he’ll sometimes hold me in his arms.” After the regular sessions, Babatz often says to him: Let’s hit a few more balls.
Babatz has been playing for Mainz 05 since he was ten years old. To be on the pitch for this club in the Bundesliga at some point, “that’s the big goal,” he says. He seems completely matter-of-fact – knowing full well how far the road lies ahead of him. There is no schedule, it doesn’t suit him. Toma Trocha thinks it is important to use Babatz in the U19 team next season. “You have to take every step carefully. It’s not a dream concert, all players have the same goal.” The Bundesliga.
Trocha knows about his keeper’s talent. Regarding his prospects for a professional career, he says: “He has good prerequisites. He is very robust and has a good attitude towards football. Mainz 05 is counting on him. If his development continues as before, he can make it.” Words that Louis Babatz would like to hear. In 2025 he wants to graduate from the Main-Taunus School in Hofheim. Graduation is important to him. But, he says, he doesn’t have a plan B for a professional career.