Nine-year-old Azerbaijani footballer Rustam Rustamov lives and trains in Germany. His family moved to Dresden when he was three years old, after his mother received a DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) scholarship to conduct research in chemistry. It was during this time that the young boy fell in love with football. Rustam joined the club Ludwigsfelde, where he is now considered one of the team’s best players.
Rustam has big sporting dreams, and his father, Rufat Rustamov, supports him every step of the way. İdman.Biz spoke to Rustam and his father about how youth football works in one of the world’s most football-oriented countries.
How do children join clubs?
The club Ludwigsfelde, where Rustam trains, competes in Germany’s fifth division. Rufat Rustamov explained that his son joined the team after a trial session.
“When he was still in kindergarten, people told me he had talent. We came to Ludwigsfelde, he was evaluated and accepted. Ludwigsfelde is considered a strong team at the regional level,” he said.
According to him, selection processes vary across German clubs, but getting into well-known teams is especially difficult.
“Germany is a football country. There is a football pitch every few streets, and every village has its own club. Everyone watches football, a lot of children play it, so the competition is very high.”
He added that children in Germany usually start playing football at the age of five or six. Talented players can be spotted by coaches or scouts, who then invite them to higher-level clubs.
“For selection, everything has to come together: physical condition, football intelligence and, importantly, character. Sometimes a child plays well but gives up quickly after setbacks or cannot work in a team. In Germany, coaches prefer players with strong character and a team-oriented mindset.”
A special concept of youth football in Germany
Starting from the 2024/2025 season, the approach to youth football (U6–U11) in Germany has changed.
“Now the concept is that youth football is not a professional process, but first of all about joy and play. More serious football begins at the age of 11 or 12,” Rufat Rustamov noted.
Instead of traditional leagues, standings and points, game days and festivals are organized so that children are not afraid of losing and focus on playing rather than results. Matches are played in small formats, which allows for more touches, shots, dribbling and decision-making. Under these rules, coaches are required to give all children roughly equal playing time.
To avoid overload, young footballers train only twice a week.
“Of course, that’s not enough, so Rustam trains on his own in his free time. For good performances, he has been promised an invitation to a DFB Stützpunkt – a center where the best players are gathered for additional training,” his father said.
He also noted that there are few football academies in Germany where children live and train.
“That’s why we ourselves monitor his routine and nutrition. In Germany, 95 percent of children go to bed at 8 p.m., while Rustam goes at 9 p.m. People here understand how important sleep is for health.”
Parents and coaches
Rufat Rustamov said that German clubs do not like parental interference in the training process.
“Coaches are usually not strict; they try to build proper communication with children. There was a case when a coach shouted a lot at Rustam, and he felt uncomfortable. I explained to my son that this is part of the process. Some parents even move their children to another club for this reason.”
According to him, coaches in small clubs are often people who have completed short-term courses.
“Usually they are parents or former footballers. They train children twice a week and earn between 100 and 400 euros. It’s not about money – they simply love football and want to be useful to society. Our coach, for example, is a former footballer, but his main job now is a mechanic.”
He also highlighted the excellent conditions.
“Our club has artificial turf, good equipment and locker rooms, even though it’s the fifth division. When I was 13 in Azerbaijan, we trained with one ball for 25 children. Here, there are 20 children and 15 balls. In Germany, children are taught to love football, they are not overloaded, and great attention is paid to nutrition and rest.”
Rustam’s goals
Rustam’s immediate goal is to move from Ludwigsfelde to the stronger club Viktoria Berlin.
“At my son’s request, I’m trying to arrange a trial session. I’ve sent emails and called the club, but it’s not easy,” his father said.
The young footballer has already once stepped onto the pitch with a Bundesliga team – as a mascot for Union Berlin.
“I held the players’ hands, talked to them, and then watched the match. Union won 3–1, it was very inspiring,” Rustam recalled.
In the future, he dreams of playing for his favorite teams – Qarabag and Barcelona.
“I want to play four years for Qarabag, then for Barcelona, and then for Liverpool,” the boy said.
He closely follows Azerbaijani football and never misses Qarabag’s matches. Rustam also plans to watch Eintracht Frankfurt play against Qarabag in the UEFA Champions League.
“I believe Qarabag will win.”
Speaking about his son’s prospects, Rufat Rustamov noted:
“For his age in the Brandenburg region, Rustam shows very high-quality football. He has good football intelligence, sees the field well, delivers passes, has decent dribbling and a strong shot. Individual play is also there, although coaches don’t always like it. The potential is high, but discipline is needed.”
At the same time, the father does not rule out that interests may change over time.
“Anything can happen. But right now, he never misses training, whether it’s raining or snowing.”
Rustam also has other interests. He excels at school, loves mathematics and is preparing for academic competitions.
“In the future, I want to work in robotics,” he said.
Still, football remains one of his main priorities for now.
“For me, football is strength, learning, and ambition.”
Leyla Eminova
