Key Takeaways:
- Last weekend, Noah Atubolu became the first goalkeeper in Bundesliga history to stop five consecutive penalties
- Atubolu saved a penalty from Romano Schmid in Freiburg’s 3-0 away win over Werder Bremen
- The 23-year-old has now saved 10 out of 30 penalties in his professional career, five of which were consecutive in the Bundesliga
Record-Breaking Achievement for Freiburg’s Number One
Noah Atubolu achieved a remarkable milestone in the Bundesliga over the weekend as he became the first goalkeeper in the competition to save five penalties in succession. The 23-year-old Freiburg custodian denied Romano Schmid from the spot as his side recorded a 3-0 away triumph against Werder Bremen, sealing a unique place in German football history.
Noah Atubolu has saved his last five penalties in the Bundesliga 😤#UEL pic.twitter.com/wS41x7iiOh
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) September 24, 2025
Penalty Heroics Across Seasons
The penalty save in Bremen was Atubolu’s first of the current season, building on his previous feats from last term. During the prior campaign, he denied both penalties faced, including a notable performance on the final matchday of the 2023/24 season, where he stopped two penalties within a single game.
In total, Atubolu has successfully saved 10 out of 30 penalties throughout his career. Five of these were recorded in the Bundesliga, all on the bounce. At Germany’s top level, he has faced 8 penalties, conceding only 3 – to Weigl (Mönchengladbach), Openda (Leipzig), and Ducksch (Bremen).
| Bundesliga Saves | Total Career Penalty Saves | Total Penalties Faced |
|---|---|---|
| 5 (all consecutive) | 10 | 30 |
Spot-Kick Statistics & Recent Encounters
Atubolu’s penalty-saving run has included some notable opposition. The last penalty he stopped before the most recent success also came against Werder Bremen, occurring during a 5-0 victory on home soil as André Silva missed his attempt. Prior to this, he denied Wirtz, although Freiburg succumbed to a 5-1 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in December last year.
Across his Bundesliga appearances, Atubolu has conceded penalties to Weigl (Mönchengladbach), Openda (Leipzig), and Ducksch (Bremen), making for a total of 3 conversions from 8 attempts faced in Germany’s top division.
Dramatic Finale to 2023/24 Campaign
On the final matchday of the 2023/24 Bundesliga season, Freiburg faced Union Berlin away and suffered a 2-1 defeat. Juranović missed a penalty in the 38th minute, while in the second minute of stoppage time (90+2′), Volland had a golden opportunity to secure Union’s Bundesliga status. Atubolu kept out his effort, but was unable to prevent Haberer from scoring off the rebound, a sequence that ultimately saw Freiburg fail to qualify for European club competitions.
