Lucas Copado: From a football family to the first “super experience” under Nagelsmann

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For Lucas Copado, football really runs in the family – and is closely linked to Munich. First and foremost, there is his father and former Bundesliga player Francisco Copado, who made most of his appearances (131) for Munich suburb club SpVgg Unterhaching. Grandfather Anton Schrobenhauser also stood between the sticks there for years and later, in his role as treasurer and patron, helped to secure promotion to the top flight for the first time in 1999. And then there is none other than uncle Hasan Salihamidzic, who has since become head of sports at Bayern Munich, where Copado Junior also moved from Haching in 2016.

The 17-year-old does not see the rich football experience in his family as a major advantage. “I’m still a youth player and haven’t achieved much yet. I benefit from my father, with whom I have a very close relationship,” Copado said in an interview with Transfermarkt. “We talk pretty much after every game, train in my free time when I feel like it, to work on my weaknesses. Again and again, he gives me tips and solutions on how I can solve situations differently. We analyse my games and performances to get better and better. He’s very important to me, but I know in the end only I can influence whether I reach my goals.”

Despite months of breaks in the youth ranks over the past two years, Copado is on a good path in that regard. The striker – like his father – made the direct step from the U17s to the reserves, who were relegated to the Regionalliga, last summer. As one of the youngest players in the squad, Copado has been directly involved in eight goals in 13 matches so far. Still, he is not entirely satisfied with his start. “It wasn’t what I expected, because I missed the first nine matchdays,” said Copado, who had to undergo surgery on his thumb. “Then it was hard to get into the team because they had a great start in the league. I’m working hard to become an integral part of the team in the second half of the season.”

The attacking talent contracted the injury during preseason with the senior squad, when he was allowed to play in the first friendly against 1. FC Köln (2-3) under Julian Nagelsmann in mid-July in the absence of the EURO 2020 participants who were still on vacation and drew positive attention. “He did well, had two, three very, very good scenes. He was smart when he stole the ball, he was good at getting at the end of deep balls, I was very pleased,” the new Bayern Munich head coach said after the game. Therefore, the injury break was “very annoying and a bit disappointing,” Copado stressed, “because otherwise I probably could have done more sessions and maybe friendlies with the first team during preseason. I felt I was in very good shape.”

He had perceived Nagelsmann as “very open and positive. He talked a lot with us young players. A very positive and goal-oriented coach who always wants to succeed. I was able to take some things with me and I try to incorporate them into my style of play,” said Copado, who looks back positively on his time, even if it was brief. “It was very unexpected, but a very nice feeling to train with the pros, even if not everyone was there. Being there as Julian Nagelsmann trains situations and gives me solutions along the way was a super experience. I do my best every day to get the opportunity more often so I can develop, because my goal clearly is to get to that level.”

Copado at Bayern between technical diploma and path to the pros

In the process, the DFB youth international has a double burden, completing his first steps in the professional game alongside his technical diploma. “My daily routine is pretty much the same every day. I get up, have breakfast and drive to school. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I have training first before I go to class. After school at 3:30 p.m., I take the train to training,” Copado said, describing his daily routine. “It’s very stressful, but I know what I’m doing it for. Besides football, I also want to do well in my degree.”

The name alone doesn’t help you make it.

Copado does not want to be driven by high expectations due to his well-known name: “Of course, I’m often compared to my father, but that doesn’t put any pressure on me. The name alone doesn’t help you make it.” There are warning examples in the form of Gianluca Gaudino, Lucas Scholl or Luca Beckenbauer: prominent names who did not make the breakthrough at Bayern Munich. Copado is not concerned with that, however. “My path is important and what I do on and off the pitch. I give everything to achieve my great goal.”

Internally, Copado is highly rated at Bayern Munich. “Lucas has real quality and the right mentality,” his former coach and mentor Danny Schwarz once said. Copado is considered one of the few “real number nines” on the Bayern campus. A comparison could be made with Miroslav Klose, who was not the fastest, strongest or greatest striker, but is still a World Cup record scorer. Copado, too, thrives on his versatility – a good shooting technique, his dribbling or heading skills – and his eye for goal, proving his qualities as a finisher with the right timing and positional play. At the same time, compared to his father, he operates much further forward in the penalty area and does not come from the midfield.

Copado himself sees his strengths in finishing as well as playing “in the box and with my back to goal, but my understanding of the game is also good,” he summarised. “Despite everything, I can still improve everything. I work on my weaknesses every day in training, but also on my strengths, so that I become even more athletic, stronger in duels and more aggressive in certain situations.” The big role model is none other than Lionel Messi. “The way he controls the ball, his dribbles, always with the aim of scoring a goal or an assist. Also, the two former Spanish strikers Fernando Torres and David Villa. Their instinct in front of goal and their presence in the box were very impressive.”

His talent has also caught the eye of other Bundesliga clubs, who made efforts to sign Copado last summer, but he opted for an extension with Bayern Munich until 2024. “I didn’t hear much about it because my father always tries to keep something like that away from me. All I can say is that I was born in Munich, I live here with my father and stepmother, my friends are here and that’s why I’m very happy,” Copado said. “There was and is no real reason to join a different club because I’m with the best club in Germany and one of the best in the world.” Where his path is supposed to lead him to the first team.

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