Stuttgart celebrate Jeff Chabot’s inaugural Bundesliga goal: “Solid as a rock!” | OneFootball

Hanau-native Julian Chabot’s path to top flight football in his native country proved an unconventional one. It was only after several years playing outside of Germany that the Stuttgart defender came to the Bundesliga in a very roundabout way. On Saturday, the 26-year-old finally scored his first Bundesliga goal in a 2-1 victory over Borussia Dortmund. Chabot’s immaculate finish off the corner proved the match-winner.

VfB trainer Sebastian Hoeneß had to reserve special praise for Chabot during his post-match press conference. Interestingly, the manner in which Hoeneß described Chabot “Ein Fels in Brandung” is a core part of one of the anthems of one of Chabot’s former academy sides, Nürnberg.

“It was a great day for him to score his first Bundesliga goal,” Hoeneß said. “He defended outstandingly. Solid as a rock. I’m very happy for him. He’s a great guy.

“It almost seemed uncomfortable for him to draw praise from everyone,” Hoeneß continued. “Top-notch performance from him. Looking forward to more.“

Jeff Chabot’s journey to the top

Chabot began his professional footballing journey in the academy of the club closest to his hometown, Darmstadt. After some time, he moved up to the academy of larger Hessian side Eintracht Frankfurt. Unable to gain significant traction either there, at Nürnberg or RB Leipzig, Chabot eventually moved to Sparta Rotterdam on a free to earn a chance to play.

After two seasons in Holland and three in Italy’s Serie A, only the deepest German footballing connoisseurs took much notice when Sampdoria loaned Chabot out to Köln during the January 2022 transfer window. At the time, the cathedral city side were in desperate need of central defenders following the January departures of Jorge Meré and Rafael Czichos.

Chabot, along with Luca Kilian, were brought in for negligible loan fees. Chabot barely even featured under Geißböcke trainer Steffen Baumgart during the second half of the 2021/22 Bundesliga campaign, making just two starts over the course of 13 league fixtures.

It thus came as something of a surprise to see Köln sign Chabot permanently for €2.5m after the season concluded. The centre-back did do a little better in his first full season with Effzeh, garnering two assists in 21 league appearances. It would be the 2023/24 campaign that really shifted matters.

Chabot got off to an excellent start to the season as one of Baumgart’s most reliable bedrocks in defence. Showing prowess as a late-match striker, he suddenly became a hot commodity on the transfer market again. Many Bundesliga sides vied to sign him.

Bundesliga runners-up Stuttgart eventually won the race to sign Chabot away from the relegated Domstädter. Strong performances this year once again leave the now €12m-valued defender linked with a move to the Serie A.

He nevertheless remains immensely important to his current Bundesliga side, particularly following the departure of his defensive partner Anthony Rouault during the just completed transfer window. Just how important, Chabot proved on Saturday.

GGFN | Peter Weis