Bundesliga Rookie of the Month for September 2026: vote now!
The Bundesliga is once again highlighting its best young stars in 2026/27 with the Rookie of the Month award presented by Sorare. Elversberg's Maurice Krattenmacher, Chuki of Werder Bremen and Paderborn's Santiago Castaneda are the nominees for September's award. Vote for your favourite now!
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September nominees
Maurice Krattenmacher (Elversberg)
Maurice Krattenmacher has already demonstrated skills in his first Bundesliga season that very few possess. The breakout star from the newly promoted side has already found the net three times this season, and his goal against champions Bayern Munich was truly spectacular.
Krattenmacher himself said on the screamer against his former club, which left goalkeeper Jonas Urbig staring in astonishment as it flew past him: "I set it up for myself and struck the ball really well." The 21-year-old creative force's three goals in September were surpassed only by Phillip Tietz (four goals). During the thrilling 4–3 win at Borussia Mönchengladbach, Krattenmacher, who scored twice, was deservedly named Man of the Match after coming off the bench and inspiring a dramatic comeback.
Krattenmacher scored every 38 minutes on average in September - an outstanding rate for an attacking player who has so far only appeared as a substitute in the Bundesliga. His seven shots over the month were also more than any team-mate. On average, the 21-year-old produces a shot or a shot assist every 14 minutes. After those momentous cameos, it is quite possible the young talent sees significantly more playing time in the Bundesliga after the international break — and serves up further highlights.
Chuki’s value to Bremen has been summed up by one stunning move. Under pressure from an opponent, he quickly pivoted and, in one fluid motion, threaded a superb pass with his right foot behind the Leipzig defence. Eren Dinkçi then found himself completely unmarked and slotted the ball home to give his team a surprise 1–0 lead over RB Leipzig - paving the way for a stunning 3-1 win. Chuki described the pass himself as "pretty perfect. The ball ran really well."
The 22-year-old Spaniard moved to Werder this summer and is emerging as a worthy successor to playmaker Romano Schmid, who left for Frosinone. In his first Bundesliga appearances – starting and playing the full 90 minutes in every game throughout September - Chuki (whose full name is Iván San José Cantalejo) registered seven shots on goal. Only Niclas Füllkrug and Marco Grüll (nine each) took more shots for Werder. The playmaker provided two assists in September - only Sheraldo Becker and Miguel Gutiérrez (three each) managed more in the Bundesliga over the month. His coach Daniel Thioune says: "He certainly still needs some time to get used to the Bundesliga." Considering what he has achieved so far, that sounds almost like a warning to opponents.
Thioune added: "Many footballers can recognise a situation like the one leading up to the opening goal. Very few can actually play that pass though." Despite his eagerness to play decisive final passes, which always carry a degree of risk, he has successfully completed a very impressive 85 percent of his passes. His strong start is rounded off by his willingness to work hard: the 36.3 kilometres covered in September represent the best figure among all the Bundesliga's attacking players.
Santiago Castaneda (Paderborn)
Paderborn coach Ralf Kettemann can’t stop raving about Santiago Castañeda, and for good reason, as he recognises the 21-year-old American is "an anchor of sorts" for the newly promoted side. Kettemann says: "He contests duels, wins them in the air and on the ground. He is very secure on the ball and incredibly intelligent."
Crucially, Castañeda has carried his form from last season’s promotion campaign into his side's opening Bundesliga ties. On Matchday 4, when Paderborn secured their first Bundesliga win since January 2020, Castañeda took centre stage by firing their first goal of the season in the 29th minute. Castañeda played the full 90 minutes in all three of September's matches, and his 87 percent pass completion rate demonstrates his vision. Another of the American's strengths is his stamina - the 36.9 kilometres he covered in September ranked fourth highest across the entire Bundesliga.
The giant central midfielder is clearly a dependable part of Paderborn's side as they target safety this season. "He has shown tremendous development," says Kettemann. He is all set to improve further as he gains more Bundesliga experience and might well find himself in the running for Rookie of the Month again over the coming campaign.
Get more on the Bundesliga Rookie of the Month presented by Sorare
2025/26 Rookie of the Season: Yan Diomande (RB Leipzig)
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.
