Following in his uncle's footsteps

If you visit the video-sharing platform YouTube and enter the name 'Bogarde' in the search tab, you will find the highlights of a successful football career. A tall centre-back who marshals the defences of some huge clubs and keeps the most dangerous strikers in Europe in check. The videos of Winston Bogarde in action for Barcelona, AC Milan, Ajax and the Dutch national team have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times. Major titles such as the Champions League, the Spanish league and the Spanish cup are all in his trophy cabinet. Now 50, Bogarde is one of the most successful footballers in his country's history and an inspiration to many young athletes.

One of the young players he has inspired is Melayro Bogarde. TSG's talented 18-year-old is Winston's nephew – and like many others, he is impressed by the footage of his uncle. "I watch a lot of videos of him on YouTube and I look at how he defends. He's my big role model." Despite his admiration for such a successful family member, the defender is focused on building his own reputation in the footballing world. That said, he believes it is an advantage to have such a family connection; after all, Winston is an outstanding example of the journey from starlet to superstar. "He's already taught me a lot of things. He tells me what really matters in professional football and that I always have to give 100%. When I hear that from someone like him, it obviously motivates me even more."

Bundesliga bow at 18

Melayro Bogarde started to make a name for himself last season, becoming the youngest-ever Dutchman to debut in the Bundesliga when he featured away to 1. FSV Mainz 05 on 30 May 2020. It was an educational debut for the Rotterdam native, who had only celebrated his 18th birthday two days earlier. With only 12 minutes on the clock, Bogarde was yellow-carded for what he admits was an "over-the-top challenge" in the opposition half. With a booking hanging over him, he was withdrawn by coach Alfred Schreuder after 45 minutes. He has since made three more appearances in Germany's top-flight, as well as three in the Europa League and one in the DFB Cup.

A versatile defender, Hoffenheim's number 32 has impressed on the pitch with his confident build-up play and his almost flawless technique. "You can see that he's calm whenever he has the ball at his feet. Things are moving in absolutely the right direction," said coach Sebastian Hoeness of the young prodigy following the 2-0 victory away to Czech side Slovan Liberec. It was a match in which Bogarde set up the opening goal and made a key contribution as TSG Hoffenheim qualified for the knockout stages of an international competition for the first time. Such a young footballer, blessed with such supreme confidence and technical skill on the pitch, does not go unnoticed in Europe for long. Barcelona and AC Milan have reportedly registered their interested in the all-rounder, who has already featured for the Kraichgau club at right-back, centre-back and in defensive midfield.

Contract talks with TSG

The transfer speculation has been fuelled by the 18-year-old's current contract, which expires in the summer of 2021. The interest from Europe's elite clubs attests to the Netherlands junior international's immense potential – but Bogarde wants to keep donning the blue jersey of TSG Hoffenheim in the future. "I'm currently in highly promising contract talks with sporting director Alexander Rosen. Over the past two years, I have received a lot of recognition and a top sporting education from the club. Hence why I firmly believe that my future lies in Hoffenheim."

The fact that Bogarde wants to commit to TSG Hoffenheim is a vindication of the club's excellent work with young players. Back in 2018, TSG beat off competition from some top clubs for the Dutchman's signature. "At the time, TSG put forward a super plan for my development up until turning professional. We held good discussions and I immediately felt like I was in good hands at TSG."

Leaving the family home at the age of 16 and joining a new football club in a foreign country did come with its own challenges, however. "The first three months really weren't easy for me. But then I got used to it and everything got easier. The fact that my parents visited me on a regular basis helped me as well." But the young Dutchman didn't have too much time to dwell on his unfamiliar situation. He spent half a season with the U17s immediately after arriving at the TSG Academy in Sinsheimer Straße, standing out to such an extent that coach Marcel Rapp immediately promoted him to the U19s. It proved to be a successful move. Bogarde was part of the Hoffenheim U19 side that created history by qualifying for the semi-finals of the UEFA Youth League. "It still always makes me proud that we got so far back then. Particularly for me personally, it was a great experience after my transfer, because I could've still been playing for the U17s."

U17 European champion with the Netherlands

Success on the international stage comes naturally to the nephew of Champions League winner Winston Bogarde. Directly after the Youth League final tournament in Switzerland, the youngster linked up with the Dutch U17 squad at the European Championships in Ireland, where he wrote another chapter in his successful young career. Bogarde did not miss a single minute at the heart of the Oranje defence en route to lifting the title. His subsequent nomination for the tournament's all-star team crowned a special experience. "It was one of my best tournaments as a footballer so far. We beat some big names on the way to winning the title – Spain, Italy, England and Germany."

Given his family environment, it should not come as a surprise that the teenage Bogarde is targeting a highly successful professional career. His father was an ambitious footballer, while brother Lamare is bidding to turn professional himself – the 16-year-old currently plays for the U18 side of Premier League club Aston Villa. "We regularly speak on the phone and motivate each other. We used to do that as children too, back when we played together on the pitch."

The trophies won by uncle Winston are in a league of their own. But the success of the family's most prominent member does not intimidate the young Melayro Bogarde, who is motivated to follow in his footsteps. "But first of all, I want to mature into a first-team regular at TSG – and consistently play in the Champions League." There's a way to go yet, but the 18-year-old's first highlight reels are already on YouTube...