Bundesliga
With Dortmund's irrefutable reputation for developing young prodigies, it's of no surprise that there will be much focus on the Black-and-Yellows' up-and-coming best at the FIFA Club World Cup in the USA. bundesliga.com gives you the rundown of the latest young candidates hoping to seize their chances for Die Schwarzgelben.
Age: 19 (born 20 February 2006)
Position: Winger
Country: USA (11 youth caps, five goals)
Campbell is the most experienced player on our list, having already racked up six senior appearances for Dortmund and 13 throughout his career thanks to a stint in Iceland, where he made his debut when he was just 15 years old.
After Dortmund snapped him up in 2022, his qualities immediately shone, ending the 2022/23 season with seven goals and six assists in 20 appearances across both U17 and U19 levels. 2023/24 was even more lucrative as the youngster scored 12 and created 15 during a full campaign with the U19s.
Towards the start of the following term, Campbell made his Dortmund debut as a late substitute in a 2-1 defeat to Augsburg. He featured a further five times in the Bundesliga, DFB Cup and Champions League, and while all of those games came in the first half of the term, Campbell was a semi-regular fixture for Dortmund II until a ligament injury ended his season in March. Now recovered, the Club World Cup could prove to be an important part of his development.
Age: 19 (born 8 March 2005)
Position: Centre-back/right-back
Country: Italy
Formerly of Italian side Sampdoria before trading Genoa for Dortmund, Mané has represented the Black-and-Yellows since January 2022, signing his first professional contract for Dortmund three years later in January 2025.
After immediately slotting into the heart of the U19s back four, helping BVB to the U19 Bundesliga title in 2021/22, he was made captain of the side ahead of the 2023/24 season by then U19s coach Mike Tullberg, who described the Italian prospect as: “Physically fantastic, quick and good in the air.” An experienced youth international too, Mané has made 33 appearances across the Azzurri’s U17, U19 and U20 youth teams.
Injuries have plagued the youngster, seeing him miss a large chunk of the 2022/23 season, Italy’s U19 European Championships win in the summer of 2023, and the back half of the 2024/25 season.
However, with Mané fit again ahead of the Club World Cup, his trajectory from the first half of last season may well be set to continue this summer, having not only made his professional debut for Dortmund II in a 3. Liga match against Hansa Rostock but also being named on the bench for the UEFA Champions League game against Real Madrid in the tournament’s league stage.
Age: 18 (born 29 April 2007)
Position: Centre-back
Country: Germany (three youth caps)
On Dortmund’s books since 2021 following a summer transfer from Mainz, Benkara has slowly risen through the ranks to become one of the defensive jewels in the BVB crown. A lack of more senior options is likely behind his inclusion for this tournament, but it is an opportunity he has earned through his development.
Benkara was just 14 when he first made his debut for the U17s in 2021/22, and by 2023/24 he was a regular in the side that won the Bundesliga for that age group. That same term, he was regularly called up for U19 action, playing twice in the UEFA Youth League along the way.
This past campaign was another chapter in Benkara’s improvement, as not only did he feature on the bench for Dortmund’s second team, who play in the 3. Liga, he was also named amongst substitutes for the senior outfit’s UEFA Champions League clash with Barcelona in the league phase. There has been a tussle for his allegiance at international level, with both Germany, his land of birth, and that of his father, Algeria, eager to acquire his services. Should he star at this summer’s tournament, that will surely only intensify.
Samuele Inacio
Age: 17 (born 2 April 2008)
Position: Attacking midfielder
Country: Italy (28 youth caps, 17 goals)
A product of the Atalanta youth set-up and the son of Brazilian footballer Piá, Inacio was a name on the list of many top European clubs ahead of his decision to join Dortmund, and you can see why.
Whilst he is a versatile forward capable of being deployed anywhere across the front line, it’s the No. 10 role he favours most, having cited former Wolfsburg maestro Kevin De Bruyne and Neymar as his footballing idols. For Dortmund, he featured a total of 31 times for the U19 side last season, finding the net on two occasions and providing six assists.
For Italy, Inacio has truly shone scoring 17 goals in 28 appearances across the U15, U16 and U17 levels. Most recently too, the talented playmaker finished the U17 European Championships as the tournament’s top scorer, with five in four games, before the Azzurrini were knocked out by eventual champions Portugal on penalties in the semi-finals. With that tournament having concluded less than two weeks before Dortmund travelled stateside, the starlet will be hoping for the opportunity to push on from his fruitful tournament outing.
Mathis Albert
Age: 16 (born 21 May 2009)
Position: Winger
Country: USA (eight youth caps, five goals)
Youssoufa Moukoko’s record as the youngest-ever Dortmund player seems unlikely to be beaten anytime soon, but Albert will comfortably move into second place, should he feature in the USA this summer – an appearance that would be made all the more special by the fact that he represents the USMNT at international level.
It is clear that BVB have a real talent on their hands, and he may already be able to have an impact, should he be required. In 2024/25 he quickly showed that U17 football was already below his level, scoring three and assisting twice in seven matches for the side. He was quickly moved up to the U19s where he continued to shine, netting six and creating a further four goals in 19 outings, with one of those strikes coming in the UEFA Youth League.
It is a similar story at international level, where he has five goals in eight matches for the USA. In his homeland, he was already playing senior football aged 14, featuring for LA Galaxy’s second string in a friendly against Norwegian outfit Nordsjaelland. Amongst those in the know, his talent is not a surprise, and the Club World Cup may be the perfect setting to introduce him to a wider audience.