Rael Nakuzola at Mainz: pro contract after two Bundesliga cameos

Rael Nakuzola, the 19-year-old left-back at 1. FSV Mainz 05, is now an official professional after moving up from the youth setup. As reported by kicker, he arrived this summer from Rot-Weiss Essen’s A-youth to Mainz’s second team, where he quickly became a genuine option for the first squad.

His rise was backed by two Bundesliga appearances off the bench. The player also said it “ended up happening relatively quickly” as his path to a pro contract took shape, according to the same report.