Joane Gadou wins Bundesliga October Rookie of the Month!
The Bundesliga is once again highlighting its best young stars in 2026/27 with the Rookie of the Month award presented by Sorare. Borussia Dortmund's Joane Gadou won the October prize, edging out Paderborn's Mattes Hansen and VfB Stuttgart goalkeeper Dennis Seimen.
Voting takes place exclusively on the Bundesliga app each month.
October winner
Joane Gadou (Borussia Dortmund)
Gadou, who joined Dortmund from Red Bull Salzburg in summer 2026, has exceeded almost all expectations to already become an indispensable part of the BVB defence. The 19-year-old has featured in the Black and Yellows’ starting XI in seven of their eight Bundesliga matches so far - including three out of their four games in October. Dortmund coach Niko Kovač has been full of praise for the new signing, saying: "He’s a great lad who is doing a really good job. I’m glad to have him."
Gadou won nearly two thirds of his individual duels in October and was also entrusted with a spot in the line-up for the thrilling 2-2 draw at Bayern in Der Klassiker. The tall defender’s sprinting ability has also made him a vital asset to the Dortmund defence. Kovač said: "He's one of the fastest players in the Bundesliga right now." He has recorded the third-highest top speed in the entire league this season - trailing only Alphonso Davies and Sheraldo Becker - reaching 36.55 km/h during the Matchday 5 encounter against Werder Bremen.
Get more on the Bundesliga Rookie of the Month presented by Sorare
Previous winners in 2026/27
September 2026: Maurice Krattenmacher
How it works
The Bundesliga will once again present the Rookie of the Month award to the best young talents in 2026/27 season. Votes are cast not only by fans, but also by clubs and selected Bundesliga experts.
Vote weighting
- Fan votes: 40%
- Club votes: 30%
- Expert votes: 30%
Criteria
For a player to be classified as a rookie, certain requirements must be met. They must be under 23 years old on the first matchday of the season and must not have been in a starting line-up in any previous Bundesliga season. Furthermore, players must not have accumulated more than 450 minutes of playing time in the Bundesliga before the start of the current campaign.
This means that young talents who have only previously made brief appearances and have not yet had the opportunity to fully showcase their skill have the chance to be crowned Rookie of the Month. The winner will also receive a prestigious Bundesliga trophy.
The Rookie of the Season is chosen from the selection of Rookie of the Month winners.
