Bundesliga
The Bundesliga has been honouring its best young players with the Rookie of the Month award throughout the season, presented in association with Sorare. And, after your votes were counted, Bayern Munich's title-winning winger Michael Olise has secured the Rookie of the Season trophy for 2024/25!
>>> Get the lowdown on the Bundesliga Rookie award, presented by Sorare!
Michael Olise ( Bayern Munich)
Olise hit the ground running after making the summer switch to Bayern from English Premier League side Crystal Palace. The Frenchman opened his Bundesliga goals account in Kiel on Matchday 3, before producing his first brace and assist away to Werder Bremen on Matchday 4. Further strikes against Eintracht Frankfurt and Bochum duly earned him the October Rookie of the Month prize.
Olise’s pace, trickery, goal threat and versatility have been laid bare from the start, drawing comparisons with Arjen Robben for his undefendable angled run off the right-hand side and arced left-footed finish into the far corner. Bayern’s latter-day wing wizard also has direct free-kicks in his repertoire, as evinced by his stunning set-piece against Bochum on Matchday 8. A truly masterful signing and cornerstone of Bayern’s title win, producing the numbers - 12 goals and a league-leading 15 assists - to match.
Watch: Michael Olise named October's Rookie of the Month!
Daniel Svensson (Borussia Dortmund)
Svensson is another example of a big-impact Bundesliga transfer. Dortmund have only improved since the Sweden international left-back joined the club on loan during the winter window, with his performances fully meriting his nomination for the April Rookie of the Month award.
A first Bundesliga goal over Borussia Mönchengladbach and pair of assists against 1899 Hoffenheim highlighted his value going forward, whilst propelling BVB back into contention for a top-six finish and ultimately playing a crucial role as the qualified for the UEFA Champions League. With performances like those, is is no surprise that Niko Kovač & Co. opted to make his move permanent before the end of the campaign.
Kauã Santos (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Santos had steadily played his way into the limelight before suffering a season-ending cruciate ligament injury in Frankfurt’s UEFA Europa League quarter-final exit to Tottenham Hotspur on 17 April. He made nine Bundesliga appearances all told, initially deputising for Kevin Trapp but giving head coach Dino Toppmöller plenty of food for thought once his first choice between the sticks returned.
Santos, 22, conceded 12 times, whilst keeping three clean sheets and repelling a handsome 75 percent of efforts on his goal. Some of his saves were superb, and he also showed more than just a glimpse of his talent with his command of the penalty area and handling skills. Interestingly, the September Rookie winner is only the second Brazilian goalkeeper to play in the Bundesliga after ex-Hoffenheim stopper Heurelho Gomes (nine appearances).
Nathaniel Brown (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Brown is another Frankfurt-based Rookie winner. After an initial bedding-in period following his summer move from Bundesliga 2’s Nürnberg, the German-American was handed his first Bundesliga start in the 7-2 drubbing of Bochum on Matchday 9. He marked the occasion with a goal and struck again in Frankfurt’s next game against VfB Stuttgart to take the November Rookie honours. One more goal, as well as three assists, helped him defend his crown in December.
Brown’s preferred position is on the left-hand side of the defence, but he’s also been deployed in a more advanced role. Three goals and six assists attest to his attacking qualities – indeed, only strikers Omar Marmoush and Hugo Ekitiké have fared better at Frankfurt in 2024/25 for total goal involvements – while a 53 percent tackles won ratio belies his slender, 5’7” frame.
Lukas Ullrich (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
On the Gladbach books since summer 2023, Ullrich also enjoyed a breakout Bundesliga season in 2024/25. The 21-year-old has bolted down the left-back berth in the injury-enforced absence of Luca Netz, stepping up to the plate for the first time in the 4-1 win over Bremen on Matchday 9 and featuring in all 25 games since (24 starts).
Ullrich got his hands on the February Rookie of the Month award, thanks in no small part to a maiden Bundesliga goal against hometown club Union Berlin and an assist in Stuttgart. The Germany U21 international excels at the bread and butter of defending, but is also a real menace at the other end of the pitch with his pin-point crosses into the opposition penalty area.
Augsburg initially acquired Monaco’s Matsima on loan, before making the move permanent at the start of 2025, kitting him out with a deal through to 2029. It’s no surprise, given the young defender’s importance to the collective. Since a couple of cameo outings on Matchdays 5 and 6, he’s started every game.
Matsima underpinned three straight January wins on his way to claiming the Rookie of the Month gong. He won it again in March, after helping Augsburg make it 11 games unbeaten to start the year. The Frenchman is known for his tackling ability, passing range and pace, but he showed another side to his budding game when he opened the scoring in a 2-1 win over Heidenheim on Matchday 19.
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