World Cup stars of the Bundesliga: Borussia Dortmund's Felix Nmecha
Borussia Dortmund's dynamic midfielder fought back from a knee injury to earn a place in Julian Nagelsmann's FIFA World Cup 2026 squad, and will be keen to repay his coach's faith in him with some all-action displays in North America.
Name: Felix Nmecha
Club: Borussia Dortmund
Nation: Germany
International debut: 28 March 2023
Caps: 11
International goals: 2
Stats correct as of 28 June 2026
How was his 2025/26 season?
Despite missing six weeks of the tail end of the Bundesliga season due to a torn knee ligament injury suffered in late March - which threatened to extinguish his World Cup hopes - Nmecha made a successful comeback off the bench in Dortmund's penultimate fixture of the season against Eintracht Frankfurt, which he followed up with a solid 90-minute appearance in a 2-0 win in Bremen on the final day.
Up until that setback, the energetic midfielder had established himself as one of the first names on Niko Kovač's teamsheet, having appeared in every one of his club's matches across three competitions. His overall contribution in his 25 Bundesliga starts, which included two goals and three assists, would prove crucial to his side clinching a second-place finish and a return to the UEFA Champions League.
What he brings to the national team
A talented box-to-box midfielder, Nmecha brings explosive bursts of pace and athleticism to the role, and has demonstrated real hunger and desire in his appearances for Germany so far.
Those characteristics were there for all to see when the former Wolfsburg man scored his first international goal in November 2024, as he reacted first in the box to smash home a rebound in a UEFA Nations League match versus Hungary.
Nagelsmann hailed him as a "world-class player" in the build-up to the tournament, and Nmecha repaid that faith by playing a pivotal role in victories against Curaçao and Côte d'Ivoire by registering a goal and assist in two games. He also played 64 minutes against Ecuador in Germany's final group game.
What his coaches say
"He's a meticulous worker, a total professional, and a great person. He will certainly improve even further." - Dortmund head coach Niko Kovač
"He’s a top player who brings everything you need to be one of the best midfielders in the world. He has so much talent, so much speed, so much dynamism." - Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann
