Klopp rewards Hoffenheim’s Conté with first senior call‑up
Hoffenheim’s 23‑year‑old offensive left‑footed forward Bambasé Conté has been named in Jürgen Klopp’s first senior Germany squad, marking his debut for the DFB senior team after previously featuring twice for the German U20 side. The call‑up follows a season in which he has already supplied two assists in three Bundesliga appearances.
Born in the Saarland, Conté joined Hoffenheim’s academy in July 2018 after leaving 1. FC Kaiserslautern as a teenager. He rose through the youth ranks, eventually earning his first senior squad inclusion in the 2023/24 Bundesliga campaign, where he made seven appearances.
Loan spells shape his development
The Weg to the senior squad involved two loan spells. In 2024/25 he featured in 29 second‑division matches for Karlsruher SC. A subsequent loan to SV Elversberg saw him play 25 league games, score four goals and provide six assists, culminating in the club’s historic first‑ever promotion to the Bundesliga.
The Hoffenheim youth academy welcomed Conté in July 2018 when he arrived from 1. FC Kaiserslautern. He progressed through the ranks and made seven Bundesliga appearances in the 2023/24 season. Following his successful loans, the club extended his contract early, although the exact length was not disclosed.
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Current form and national team debut
In the 2026/27 campaign Conté has already featured in three Bundesliga fixtures, delivering two assists. His performances earned him a place in the DFB senior squad under national coach Jürgen Klopp. The selection also reflects his two caps for the German U20 side earlier in his career.
Klopp told reporters that he received the news of Conté’s nomination with particular joy, recalling a phone conversation in which, he said, “Am längsten gelacht hat Bamba Conté.” He added that the humour in the call reflected Conté’s easy‑going personality.
Conté reflected on his loan experiences on the club’s website, stating, “The loans were enormously valuable and were crowned with the promotion with SV Elversberg.” I now look forward with great anticipation to the time that now comes.