Niko Kovac is effusive in his praise for the 22-year-old Felix Nmecha who, after recently drawing the attention of Hansi Flick and Germany during a solid season with the Wolves, is aiming to take the next big step in his burgeoning career.

bundesliga.com puts the Hamburg-born footballing technician under the spotlight ...

Felix Nmecha
Age: 22
Club: Wolfsburg
Position: Midfield
Country: Germany (three U21 caps, one goal)

Key stats

The son of a German mother and a Nigerian father, Nmecha - and his older football-playing brother Lukas - was born in Hamburg but moved to England with his family in 2007.

After honing their skills on the streets of their hometown of Altona, the switch to Manchester brought the young Nmechas to the attentions of Premier League team Manchester City, with both going on to join the club's academy. Felix progressed to the English side's U19 team, while in 2017/18 he made the jump to the U23s.

Felix Nmecha was limited to three senior appearances for Manchester City. - PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images

Current City coach Pep Guardiola called the younger of the Nmecha brothers into the senior squad for the UEFA Champions League encounter against Hoffenheim in December 2018, although Felix's step up failed to result in any game time as he remained on the bench in a 2-1 home victory at the Etihad Stadium.

A senior City bow wouldn't be long in arriving, however, and just one month later, the talented midfielder was brought on as a second-half substitute in the 2-1 EFL Cup semi-final second-leg victory against Burton Albion.

A lengthy wait for his next game under Guardiola followed, but he celebrated it with an assist for current Bayern Munich full-back Joao Cancelo in 3-0 City victory against Olympiacos in the Champions League in November 2020.

In total, Nmecha would make just three appearances for the Premier League team - a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a knee injury not helping his prospects - and after his contract with the club expired in June 2021, Nmecha junior joined his older brother Lukas at Wolfsburg, where they would become the Lower Saxony-based side's first-ever sibling teammates.

Brotherly love: Felix (r.) embraces his brother Lukas during a Wolfsburg game. - Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

About the players

22

Felix

Nmecha

VfL Wolfsburg

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The 22-year-old sought to find his feet in his first season at the Volkswagen Arena, playing 16 Bundesliga games under Mark van Bommel and Florian Kohfeldt. It is in the current campaign that the attacking midfielder had taken off, however, becoming a key part of the Wolfsburg side that has their sights on a European finish under Kovac.

Racking up 21 Bundesliga appearances prior to the March 2023 international break, Felix registered his first Bundesliga goals with a double in Wolfsburg's 4-0 win against Bochum last October. He also has three top-flight assists to his name so far in what is turning out to be a season to remember for the young Wolf. His recent call up to Germany's squad for the friendlies against Peru and Belgium is the latest part of an impressive upward trajectory.

Plays a bit like: Zinedine Zidane

Nmecha clearly has a way to go before even coming close to matching the France great's immense feats in the game, but with his considerable strength, excellent close control, nonchalant ball delivery and loping runs, the Wolfsburg No. 22 bears more than a passing resemblance to the legendary Zizou.

Watch: Nmecha gets off the mark with a goalscoring double 

Did you know?

Like his brother Lukas, Felix has represented both England and Germany at youth level. The younger of the Nmecha's made a total of nine appearances while scoring two goals with England's U16s, U18s and U19s while he has also featured for Germany's U18s and U21s in the past. He once scored against England for Germany in an U21 friendly in Sheffield in September 2022.

Felix Nmecha in training during his first senior call up for Germany. - Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images

What they're saying 

"Previously, he never got into a rhythm. He played in so many different positions. Now he's playing in midfield and you can see his technical ability. He has [also] improved physically." - Kovac offers praise after Nmecha's goalscoring double against Bochum.

"You always [dream] of these moments when you’re younger. Especially so with Lukas, when we were playing together on the streets in Germany. And now to be in the Bundesliga together it's amazing. It's a really great feeling.” - Felix on what it's like to be teammates with his brother in Germany's top division. 

“I was just praying in my room. Then I got the call. I didn't recognise the number. It was a big moment for me; a big shock." - Nmecha on recently receiving the call from Hansi Flick to join Germany's senior squad. 

"The boy really deserves it." - Wolfsburg captain Maxi Arnold when told about Nmecha's senior international call up. 

About the clubs

VfL Wolfsburg

Volkswagen Arena