Derry Scherhant, born in Berlin on November 10, 2002, turned a simple list of 15 boxes into a springboard for his career. Every morning, the football student looks at the sheet of paper hanging above his front door and, when he scores a goal, he colors one of the squares with a marker. At the start of 2018, the young German set his sights on scoring 15 goals for Hertha's B team, but in the end he scored 16, proving he was ready to move up the ladder.
Scherhant's path was anything but linear. After playing at grassroots clubs such as Charlottenburg, Viktoria Berlin, Tennis Borussia and Berliner, he was discovered by coach Markus Schatte, who introduced him to Hertha. Coach Sandro Schwarz, impressed by the youngster's 16 goals in the B team, included him in the first team. During the pandemic, when the courts were closed, Scherhant continued to train clandestinely, overcoming the fences of the Hans-Rosenthal sports center and using every moment of darkness to improve his technique.
In 2025, Freiburg bought Scherhant for two million euros, offering a five-year contract. Under the guidance of Julian Schuster, the youngster has already shown his worth, contributing five league goals and playing a decisive role in the club's qualification for the Conference League. His playing style, characterized by power, dribbling and speed, makes him a versatile winger, also capable of operating in a central position. His market value has been estimated at twenty million euros, and he has already attracted the attention of Premier League clubs, in particular Ipswich.
Scherhant's success was not just sporting. The family played a fundamental role: his father, originally from Cameroon, and his mother from Berlin always supported the young man, accompanying him to matches in Charlottenburg. His grandfather, present in the stands, inspired Scherhant to believe in his abilities. The footballer also showed a curious side, reading Memphis Depay's autobiography in English and trying to understand his idol's personal story, demonstrating a deeper approach to role models than simply observing videos.
On October 18, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported his rise: from the outskirts of Charlottenburg to the German national team, where he made his debut against Serbia and then played against Greece. Coach Jürgen Klopp called him up as part of the new German generation, in a period of renewal after the world cup flop and the divorce with Nagelsmann. Scherhant, now at twenty-three, is ready to consolidate his position at both club and national team, with the prospect of continuing to grow and taking on new challenges in Europe.