Team
10.09.24
Fabio Balde signs long-term contract with HSV
The home-grown talent, who has been with the Rothosen since 2020 and made his senior debut last year, will continue to wear HSV colours for years to come.
The Rothosen have secured the signature of another academy talent on a long-term deal, handing Fabio Balde his first senior contract, ensuring that he will continue to be a HSV player for years to come. The documents between the club and the 19-year-old were made official on Tuesday (10th September). “It is an important goal of HSV that our own academy prospects can be integrated into the first team. Fabio has made significant steps in the right direction over the past few months, and not just recently has been knocking on the senior team door with his efforts in both training and in matches for the U21s,” noted board member for sport Stefan Kuntz regarding the forward’s path into the professional game. Director of professional football Claus Costa added, “The winter training camp in Sotogrande is where Fabio became gradually more involved with the first team.” There, the Hamburg native caught the attention of the coaching staff with his character and patience. “Fabio has always been persistent, worked hard and believed in himself. We are especially pleased that in Fabio we have a boy from Hamburg signing a long term deal with us,” Costa emphasised.
Balde: “I am filled with pride.”
The winger, who poses the most threat in one-on-one situations due to his physicality, pace and strength, began his footballing development at SC Vorwärts-Wacker 04 Billstedt before making the step up to the Rothosen’s academy set-up and now signing his first professional contract. “The faith shown towards me by the coaches means a lot. I have learned a lot over the past few years and given it everything. I have always sought to improve myself with the help of my academy coaches. Now I just have to keep at it and repay that faith bit by bit. I am filled with pride at the fact that I am signing a long-term contract with my hometown club,” Fabio Balde expressed regarding his new deal.
U19 captain with 19 appearances in first U21 season
Balde has climbed through the youth ranks to reach senior level, after playing for the U17s and U19s in the youth Bundesliga, and even wearing the captain’s armband for the U19 side. In the 2023/24 season, the German-Portuguese attacker featured 19 times in the fourth division for the U21 team, notching four assists. After training with the first team throughout the entire pre-season, he then played in all five friendly matches for Steffen Baumgart’s side ahead of the start of the new campaign. His first DFB-Pokal goal against SV Meppen was followed up by his debut in the senior starting line-up, recording his first assist in Bundesliga 2 in the home match against Preußen Münster at the Volksparkstadion. In years to come, more goal involvements while wearing the HSV shirt are undoubtedly to be expected.