"As a family, we couldn't be happier"

Ihlas, you became a father for the first time in October. How has your life changed since then?

"Actually it has changed completely. Something new happens every day, and I look forward to watching my son Zayn grow up. Unfortunately, I couldn't be there at his birth because I was away on international duty. That means I am now enjoying every spare second with him all the more. He's already learning a lot, and I'm trying to spend as much time as possible with him. It's the best counterbalance to football for me."

So you seem to like it …

"It's just a lot of fun to be a father. When I come home, I take care of him straight away. That's also because my wife Amira does most of the work when I'm at a game or training. I like to walk along the Neckar with him or just carry him. As we go, he looks through the area and watches what's happening around him. It is also very pleasant at night, because he sleeps a lot and has been very quiet so far. As a family we couldn't be happier here. Maybe in the next few years, he will also get a brother or sister. We like life as parents."

In your first Bundesliga match after his birth, you scored two goals against 1. FC Cologne – and dedicated your goals to Zayn with the goal celebration …

"That was, of course, perfect timing. Our assistant coach David Krecidlo had suggested the celebration in training and after the goal and the initial joy with the team, it came into my mind again. My wife loved it and in a few years our son might understand it. He was also at the stadium for the first time recently, but of course he doesn't understand that his dad is down on the pitch just yet. That will take a little longer. But I am planning to play football for a few years yet. Then he will understand it all."

You have been playing at TSG for almost three years now and signed a new contract in December, extending it until 2026. Do you feel comfortable in the region as a family?

"From day one, I formed a relationship with the club and the region. For me, it was the logical next step after my time in Düsseldorf and Hanover. The region is incredibly beautiful, and my wife Amira has also made friends here. What's more, my son was born in Heidelberg. That will be something we will remember very fondly for all our lives. I'm just glad we can be here for a long time. I now have the certainty that I can plan my future in Hoffenheim. Now I can focus on football and don't have to worry about my contract. That planning certainty is a great feeling for my wife, my son and myself. It couldn't be better at the moment."

Your parents and siblings still live in Düsseldorf. How often do you see them?

"Quite often. Especially since the birth of Zayn, there is always someone here. My sister, for example, recently visited for a whole week and helped us out a bit. But even before that, my family were always here for home games. We are very close. Family is a real priority for us."

How much do you feel that your family is proud of you?

"They even set up their own fan club for me. (Laughs) They are extremely proud, also because football is a big thing in our home country, Togo. The whole nation loves the sport. Of course, my family are happy for me to be able to represent our country on a big stage. And it's also a special feeling for me, of course. They did a lot for me. I'm trying to pay that back now."

Can you use the trips with the national team to see your family in Togo?

"Before Corona, it was all easier. Now we have to avoid contact, and at times there have been no fans in the stadiums. But when I'm with the national team, we are normally in the capital Lomé, where the majority of my family lives. My father has eight brothers, so we are a big family. We originally come from Sokodé, a city in the north, but almost all of them now live in the capital, except for my grandparents. That's why it works quite well. I always try to visit my grandparents in the summer when I am in my home country for an extended period. If fans are allowed inside the stadium, I always have to sort out plenty of tickets." (laughs)

You came to Germany from Togo at the age of 11. What role did football play on your arrival?

"The game has given me a huge amount. After I had registered with a school in Germany, I immediately registered with a club and played football every day. That helped me settle in and make many friends. Football helped me to become a native in Germany. As a young boy, I never thought I would become a professional. It wasn't until I made it into the U19s at Fortuna Düsseldorf that it clicked. Then I knew that the dream could become reality. Before that, football had always just been fun with friends for me. I would not have thought it possible for me to sit here now and have soon completed 250 competitive matches as a professional. I only started playing at a more professional level at a very late stage. That makes it all the sweeter for me that it worked out anyway."

Did you have any doubts on the way?

"After signing my first professional contract, I got injured in my second friendly match and was out for two months after that. Shortly afterwards, I suffered cartilage damage. No one knew if my professional career would really work out. I was out for almost a year. Now I can look back on it and say that I was lucky how everything went. I appreciate being able to play football and enjoy it. Taking an unusual path strengthened me a lot and I don't let injuries or other things knock me back. I became much more patient as a human being."

Many children admire you and your journey, they see you as a role model …

"Unfortunately, there are plenty of people – especially in Africa – who do not have the opportunities we have in Europe. A lot of people try to be successful through football, but that is, of course, enormously difficult. There is always a certain amount of luck involved. I always remind myself of that and appreciate the fact that I earn my money through the sport I enjoy. That is also why I want to give something back and organise social projects with my father Innuus, who is a well-known musician there. That is very important to me. We want to do this even more in future."

At TSG, we can no longer imagine the squad without you. In your opinion, which part of your game has come on the most during your time in Hoffenheim?

"I have become more decisive in my actions. Particularly around the goal, I have improved. My runs work better, and I am more efficient. The coaching staff do a great job and help us with it. They show us where we can become even more dangerous. Not only I, but the entire team, have taken a step forward. This season, we're playing a completely different style of football."

This season, you have helped out on the right wing in some games. What changes does that mean for your game?

"I also played there at times last season when we were losing, but of course it was something different coming on as a substitute than when I am put there for 90 minutes. That is a change. My runs go from the very back to the very front. I only have the wing-back behind me then. Of course, the coach also knows that my strengths lie more on the offensive end. But I always help out where I am needed."

Are there any other positions you can play in that we don't know about?

"With the national team, I once played as a holding midfielder, but it didn't work out too well. (Laughs) My preference would be to continue playing as a striker, probably as the right-hand side of a strike partnership. I feel most comfortable there and can best contribute my strengths. But every Bundesliga match is something special and I always and gladly put myself at the service of the team."

After almost two thirds of the season, anything is still possible in the fight for European places. What do you think you can achieve this season?

"We have an enormous amount of quality in our team. You can even see that in the games we lost. There was hardly a game in which we were really bad. Our big problem was taking our chances. We left too many points on the table. But we are still in a good position. Our task for the next few weeks is to keep that position. If we're still up there in April, we want to take advantage of this opportunity. Unfortunately, I did not score a goal in the Europa League last season, and I would like to see that change in the future."