Janis Blaswich: Who is the RB Leipzig goalkeeper called up to represent Germany?
Janis Blaswich has been called up to Julian Nagelsmann's Germany squad for the November friendlies against Türkiye and Austria. bundesliga.com profiles the RB Leipzig goalkeeper...
Stats correct as of 10 November 2023
Age: 32
Club: RB Leipzig
Position: Goalkeeper
Country: Germany (24 youth caps/ 10 goals)
Key stats
A Bundesliga debutant at the sprightly age of 31, it's fair to say Blaswich is a late bloomer at the top level. One year on, he's Leipzig's first pick between the posts, having initially been parachuted in to replace the injured Péter Gulácsi in September 2022. The 32-year-old has made almost 50 competitive apperances in that time, helping Leipzig win their second successive DFB Cup at the end of 2022/23 before shutting out Harry Kane and Bayern Munich in the 2023 Supercup.
Watch: The best of Janis Blaswich
Pre-Leipzig, Blaswich played in 107 Eredivise games for Dutch outfit Heracles Almelo, enjoying four successive seasons as their undisputed No.1. The 6'3" stopper also represented Dynamo Dresden and Hansa Rostock in Germany's lower leagues whilst still on the books of Borussia Mönchengladbach. He spent 20 years at the club without once playing for the first team, but links up with Nagelsmann's Germany as the 2023/24 Bundesliga campaign's best goalkeeper for clean sheets (five in 10 matches) and second stingiest for goals conceded (nine).
Plays a bit like: Kevin Trapp
Blaswich is another fine German example of a goalkeeping all-rounder, much like Eintracht Frankfurt counterpart and national team back-up, Kevin Trapp. A confident shot-stopper and a commanding presence in his own penalty area, he's also got the cat-like reactions - helped by a sizeable wingspan - that have made point-blank stops something of a Blaswich speciality.
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Did you know?
Janis has inherited his Dad's safe hands, with Ludger Blaswich the Gladbach youth team's goalkeeping coach since 2013. Younger brother, Luis, meanwhile, is a midfielder for PSV Wesel in Germany's sixth division.
What they're saying
"Janis is a good goalkeeper - good with the ball at his feet, but strong at the bread and butter of goalkeeping. I don't know him personnaly, but I was always impressed, as an opposition coach, with his posititivity. And I've always been impressed with him as a goalkeeper in general. He had a big gap to fill in Péter Gulácsi, but he's done it really well." - Nagelsmann
"Janis always puts in a good performances and he's a true professional. He's earned [his Germany call-up]. He's been really impressive over the past few months. I'm delighted." - Leipzig head coach Marco Rose
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