Who is Aljoscha Kemlein, the Union Berlin youngster taking his chance under Bo Svensson?
Aljoscha Kemlein was one of the star turns as Union Berlin continued their impressive start to 2024/25 with a victory at Holstein Kiel, and the 20-year-old doesn't look like letting up now that he has established himself in Die Eisernen's engine room.
Stats correct as of 22 October 2024
Age: 20 (born 27 March 2004)
Club: Union Berlin
Position: Midfielder
Country: Germany U20 (12 caps, 1 assist)
Key stats
Kemlein was making headlines on Matchday 7 of the current campaign when becoming the first Union academy graduate to score in the Bundesliga. The midfielder converted Tom Rothe's assist to put the capital club a goal to the good against Holstein Kiel. Bo Svensson's side eventually won 2-0 to go level on points with defending champions Bayer Leverkusen in fifth place in the standings.
Kemlein - who only turned professional in 2022 - previously enjoyed a European debut in the big time for The Irons in a UEFA Champions League group stage encounter against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu in September 2023. He became Union's youngest-ever player in European club football's elite competition in the process. The defensive midfielder - who joined Union's youth set-up back in 2016 - made his Bundesliga bow a month earlier in a 4-1 win against Mainz and he was involved again in another Union triumph against Darmstadt just six days later.
Watch: Kemlein and Rothe on target in Kiel
With further first-team openings gradually drying up, the Berliners were keen on Kemlein continuing his development and so loaned out the 6'1" player out to St.Pauli from January 2024. The move would prove a huge success, with the versatile midfielder racking up 17 appearances and laying on two assists as the Hamburg-based side achieved promotion as second-division champions.
Back at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei for the current campaign, Kemlein has quickly won over Danish tactician Svensson, who saw the 20-year-old score in what was only his second start in the Bundesliga. He was previously given the nod to begin in the 2-1 win against Borussia Dortmund on 5 October. Once a captain in Union's junior ranks, Kemlein's impressive rise to the top continues apace and after winning several caps for Germany at U18, U19 and U20 level, the incentive to aim ever higher is clearly there for the boy from Berlin.
Plays a bit like: Emre Can
An assured presence deep in the midfield engine room, Kemlein boasts some of the same attributes that helped Dortmund's enforcer Can to reach some impressive career heights. Strong in the tackle and an important asset when it comes to the Black-and-Yellows' transition play, Can could well be a role model for Kemlein, who is following in the BVB man's footsteps judging by the youngster's notable duals-won rate and top ball delivery.
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Did you know?
Just like Aljoscha, older brother Nikolai Kemlein was also on the books at SC Berliner Amateure as a youth player and - now 22 - he continues to feature as a midfielder for the side that play their home games at the Züllichauer Straße stadium.
What they're saying
"He's doing very well, which was also noticeable in training for two or three weeks before (the Kiel game). The gaps between our games are not big now and Joschi is required to perform." - Union coach Svensson offers encouraging praise to Kemlein after impressing against Kiel.
“It was a really good day. I’m happy to have been able to help the team with my goal. We don't want to rest on our laurels, we want to continue to take each game as it comes and focus on the basics in order to bring good team spirit onto the pitch in every game.” - Kemlein offers his thoughts after scoring his first senior goal as a pro at the Holstein-Stadion.
"He is very receptive, implements things quickly and integrates quickly into the team due to his character and his modesty. That is very impressive." - Former St. Pauli head coach Fabian Hürzeler following Kemlein's debut for the club in Januar 2024.
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