Nelson Weiper and the “giant development” at Mainz 05

Popular photo motif in Mainz: Nelson Weiper.

IMAGO/Martin Hoffmann

Weiper is the youngest in the squad of U-21 coach Antonio Di Salvo and nine months younger than “child prodigy” Youssoufa Moukoko, who has been there longer and made his debut for the U-21 national team at the age of 16 years and nine months celebrated. If Weiper were to play at the European Championships from June 21 to July 8 in Georgia and Romania, he would be a lot younger at 18 years and almost four months than former great offensive talents from Mainz 05, like André Schürrle (19 years and 7 days ) and Jonathan Burkardt (20 years and 1 month).

“Nelli was in the U-national team in his respective year and made an impression with his overall development,” said Kersting. After 13 goals in 15 U-17 games and one goal in five U-18 games, Weiper has initially skipped the U-19s and U-20s of the association.

Weiper: Key player in winning the U-19 championship

Things are also progressing very quickly in the Bundesliga, where the 1.91 meter tall center forward has already played nine Bundesliga games in 2022/23. He scored two goals in just 98 minutes. Weiper was also one of the key players when FSV won the German U-19 championship.

“Nelson made another huge leap in 2022/23. You have to remember that he tore a ligament in pro training camp earlier in the season. That got him going a bit later, but he developed hugely after that and over that permanent professional training and professional assignments. Gaining experience at this level and learning from it is elementary. It is one of his great strengths that he is constantly learning,” says the FSV youth director, describing the exceptional talent, who has been with Mainz 05 since 2012 plays. After Weiper passed the Abitur examinations in the past season, so to speak, he can concentrate fully on football in 2023/24.