Niels Nkounkou Ebnoutalib Chooses Germany Over Morocco
Jurgen Klopp picked up the phone, and Niels Nkounkou Ebnoutalib’s international future was decided in an instant.
The Eintracht Frankfurt striker has committed himself to Germany after direct contact from the new national team coach, turning down the chance to represent Morocco, the country of his heritage.
“There were talks with Morocco. But when Jurgen Klopp calls, you can’t say no,” Ebnoutalib said, laying out the choice in the simplest possible terms.
From Regionalliga to Die Mannschaft
Two years ago, Ebnoutalib was grinding away in the Regionalliga with FC Giessen, miles from the glamour of international football and even further from the idea of sharing a dressing room with Germany’s elite. Now he is in a 44-man experimental squad under one of the most charismatic coaches of his generation.
His rise has been fuelled by a blistering start to the season with Eintracht Frankfurt. Four goals already, sharp movement, relentless running. Enough to catch Klopp’s attention when the Germany boss visited Eintracht’s training ground earlier this month. That trip quietly planted the seed for what would become a full-blown international switch.
The decisive moment came on a rare day off.
Ebnoutalib was on a sports field when his phone lit up with an unfamiliar number. He glanced at the screen. Klopp.
“I didn't think anything of it. I thought maybe he just wanted to ask how I was doing. After the phone call, tears came to my eyes. I thought about where I was just a few years ago and that it's crazy that all the hard work has paid off,” he recalled.
The call did more than flatter him. It crystallised a decision he had been weighing for months.
Torn between two homes
Morocco were not idle in their pursuit. The Moroccan Football Federation had held talks, and national team coach Mohamed Ouahbi spoke directly with the forward. The door was open, the affection mutual.
“I spoke with him, but it wasn't an intensive exchange. I love both countries; they are both my countries of origin. I will definitely continue to support Morocco,” Ebnoutalib said.
The emotional pull was clear. So was the footballing one. Yet once Klopp entered the picture, the balance shifted.
The connection with Germany felt immediate. The project under a new coach, the chance to grow inside a refreshed setup, the promise of a role in a team trying to redefine itself after years of underachievement. For a late bloomer like Ebnoutalib, it was irresistible.
Klopp’s aura hits the camp
Ebnoutalib has now joined up with Germany as they prepare for a demanding run of UEFA Nations League fixtures, including a marquee clash with the Netherlands. One cap is all it will take to lock in his future with the DFB. One appearance to turn a story of potential into a permanent commitment.
He has walked into a camp that already feels different.
The striker speaks of an intensity that goes beyond tactics or drills. Klopp’s presence has changed the temperature of the room.
“The impression is very positive. He is, of course, someone who brings a great deal of experience and already has a certain presence because of what he has achieved over the years. So, naturally, you have a great deal of respect for him. But he was very nice and very likeable in the conversations,” Ebnoutalib said.
The sessions on the pitch have only reinforced that first impression.
“He is already very well known for the way he wants to play football. With high pressing, with a lot of energy and power. He has already fired us up. I think that’s what he is known for, that he is very good at reaching people and getting them on board. He has certainly got us in the right mindset."
High pressing. Energy. Power. The words could describe Klopp’s teams at club level; now they are the blueprint for a new-look Germany.
A defining step
Being named in a 44-man squad might sound like a small step. For Ebnoutalib, it is a leap.
From regional leagues to the brink of a senior debut, from quiet talks with Morocco to an emphatic “yes” to Germany, his path has been anything but straightforward. Yet it now runs straight through the Nations League, where one game could etch his choice into the record books.
He will still cheer for Morocco. He will still carry both identities. But when the anthem plays and the cap finally comes, it will be in German colours, under Klopp, in a system built on the very energy that dragged him out of obscurity.
The next question is no longer who he will represent. It is how far, and how fast, he can go now that he is here.
