Ebnoutalib comes from a sporting background. His father, Faissal, was a silver medallist for Germany in taekwondo on the Olympic Video games in Sydney in 2000.

“My father took me to taekwondo coaching for 10 years and I feel that has additionally helped me in soccer,” he mentioned on Tuesday.

“Doing Taekwondo made me extra versatile, so I’ve by no means had any muscular accidents.”

But the younger striker’s journey to the highest was not at all times simple.

After coming by means of the ranks at beginner membership Rot-Weiss Frankfurt, he endured a disastrous spell at Italian facet AC Perugia from 2022 to 2023.

Ebnoutalib remembered how, as an 18-year-old in another country, he was “shouted off the coaching pitch” by a coach throughout his first session with the senior crew.

He would make just one league look for Perugia in Serie C, earlier than leaving in late 2023.

“In footballing phrases it was the unsuitable resolution for me [to go to Italy], however with out that have, I do not assume I might be the place I’m at this time,” he mentioned.

After returning to Germany, Ebnoutalib’s profession appeared to have stalled till Cimen handed him a contemporary probability at Giessen in July 2024.

The transfer kick-started his meteoric rise, propelling him from the fourth tier to the highest flight within the area of a yr.

After signing for Elversberg in January 2025, he narrowly missed out on Bundesliga promotion final Might earlier than hitting a superb run of type within the autumn.

Now, the 22-year-old is wanting ahead to Champions League soccer with Eintracht and a Bundesliga debut towards Karim Adeyemi, Emre Can and Serhou Guirassy on Friday.

“To make a soar like that within the area of a yr and instantly be taking part in towards world-class gamers is fairly loopy,” he admitted.

Ebnotualib might be thrown in on the deep finish on Friday, with Frankfurt at the moment quick on frontline choices.

First-choice striker Jonathan Burkardt is out with a calf harm whereas French ahead Elye Wahi has been loaned to Good.

Former coach Cimen believes that Ebnoutalib is able to make his mark on the highest flight.

“Along with his skills, we at all times knew he would find yourself within the prime divisions,” he mentioned.

He added that it could be “no shock” to see Ebnoutalib land at a Premier League membership at some point.

“The Premier League is a bodily very powerful league, and Younes has all the proper qualities for that,” he mentioned.

“For now, although, he’s residing his dream with Eintracht Frankfurt.”