Borussia Dortmund and its eye for talent: Some of the best youngsters the club has signed over the years

Dortmund demands respect mainly because of its impeccable recruiting policy, which spots young talent and turns them into world-beaters.

(From L-R): Jude Bellingham, Erling Haaland and Jadon Sancho. | Photo Credit: AFP

Borussia Dortmund on Sunday will clash against Real Madrid in the 2023-24n Champions League final at the Wembley Stadium.

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Dortmund last won the Bundesliga in 2011 under the tutelage of Jurgen Klopp. Over the years, it has come second best to German giant Bayern Munich, with the club losing the title on the last matchday day of the 2022-23 season to the Bavarians. 

It also reached the Champions League final in 2012 and had a chance to win a second European crown, but again, Bayern proved to be the thorn in the way, with the latter riding on a last-minute goal by Arjen Robben to snatch the trophy. 

Yet, season after season, the ‘Yellow Wall’ stands tall. Despite its consistency in winning titles, Dortmund is a club well-respected worldwide and always seems to have the underdog trope hanging on its head. 

Dortmund demands respect mainly because of its impeccable recruiting policy, which spots young talent and turns them into world-beaters. In modern football, where, in most instances, the power to spend directly correlates with the ability to win titles, Dortmund has stuck to its philosophy of not ‘buying talent’ but ‘creating talent’. 

It is a well-known fact that Dortmund is a selling club. Many players, who the club bought for a nominal fee, were sold at astronomical prices to European heavyweights. It is a model much like that of the legendary Dutch club Ajax, which also follows the model of spotting young talent, nurturing them and selling them later at high prices. 

Hub of young talent

Over the years, there have been numerous examples like Jadon Sancho, Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland, who Dortmund managed to lure. They came to the club at a tender age and were relatively unknown and by the time they left, were already some of the most talked about and sought-after players in world football. 

What makes Dortmund’s recruitment policy so effective?

Some known factors towards young players choosing Dortmund to nurture their careers are its ‘talent-first’ policy and the famous ground, accompanied by the voracious fan support. 

But Dortmund’s selling point in convincing young talent to join is the promise of game-time. For the brightest talents, sitting on the sidelines and winning titles with the heavyweights is not always the priority. They want regular game time at the highest level to hone their skills and nurture their career. Dortmund promises an excellent launchpad for these players by giving them steady game time at the highest level. 

Another crucial factor in the club’s recruitment process is focusing on one transfer target instead of keeping multiple backups - something that has become extremely common nowadays due to the volatile nature of the market. But contrary to most, once the German club focuses on its transfer target after scout reports, it utilises all its resources to get the player to the club.

In the following list, Sportstar looks at the best talents Dortmund has managed to sign over the years.

Marco Reus: A pinnacle of loyalty in the modern era of football, Marco Reus is a rare example of a player who did not leave Dortmund for greener pastures. Spending his youth at Dortmund, Reus went on to play for clubs like Rot Weiss Ahlen and Borussia Monchengladbach. Reus rejoined his childhood club in 2012 for 17.1 million euros and has made 294 appearances for Dortmund. A career plagued with injuries, Reus had calls from clubs like Real Madrid, Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Manchester City during his prime but chose to remain loyal to his boyhood club. 

 Reus rejoined his childhood club in 2012 for 17.1 million euros and has made 294 appearances for Dortmund | Photo Credit: Getty Images

Robert Lewandowski: Compared to some of the other youngsters, Robert Lewandowski arrived at the club at the relatively mature age of 22 from the Polish club Lech Poznan. Dortmund paid around 4.2 million euros for Lewandowski, who scored 74 goals for the club in 131 appearances. At Dortmund, he received global recognition after winning two Bundesliga titles and becoming the Champions League runner-up in 2012. Unlike most situations, Dortmund could not make a profit off a talented player, with Lewandowski joining rival Bayern Munich on a free transfer ahead of the 2014-2015 season. 

Borussia Dortmund’s Robert Lewandowski celebrates a goal against Bayer Leverkusen during the German first division Bundesliga soccer match in Leverkusen February 3, 2013. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Erling Haaland: Norway’s Erling Haaland always looked destined for big things. His goalscoring run at Red Bull Salzburg invited attention from multiple clubs, but Dortmund won the race and signed the Norwegian striker for a mere 20 million euros in 2019. He went on to score 62 goals in 67 appearances with the club. When Manchester City came knocking in 2023, Dortmund negotiated a 60 million euro selling price, with some add-ons and bonuses. 

Jude Bellingham: The football enthusiasts knew of Jude Bellingham when he turned heads during his stint with Birmingham City. However, he was still a relatively unknown figure globally when he came to Dortmund in 2020, having beaten Manchester United in the race to sign him. Dortmund paid 25 million euros, which was a gamble for a 17-year-old. However, just like Dortmund does best, it nurtured Bellingham’s career to perfection, and the youngster scored 12 goals in 94 appearances with the club. Last summer, Real Madrid paid Dortmund 103 million euros to acquire the services of Bellingham. 

Jadon Sancho: He holds the distinct record of being the first Englishman to play a Bundesliga match for Dortmund. Sancho attracted attention as a junior player at Manchester City. However, he fell out with the club and Dortmund, which already had eyes on him, swooped in and signed the 17-year-old for a fee of around 9 million euros. He spent three seasons with the club, scoring 38 goals in 104 appearances. After a lengthy transfer saga with Manchester United over two seasons, Dortmund negotiated an 85 million euro transfer fee with the Red Devils. However, Sancho did not have the best time at United, and after a public falling out with manager Erik Ten Hag, he is back to Dortmund on loan and looks set to start the Champions League final against Real Madrid. 

Christian Pulisic: Dortmund signed Christian Pulisic as a 16-year-old in 2015. Consistent performances saw his ascendency from the youth ranks to the senior team, where he scored 10 goals in 81 appearances and a further three during his second stint with the club on loan. In 2019, Chelsea paid Dortmund 69 million euros for the USA international. 

Ousmane Dembele: Dortmund paid Rennes a fee in the region of 35 million euros to sign a promising Ousmane Dembele in 2016. In the 2016-17 season, Dembele proved to be an excellent signing with nine goals in 32 appearances for Dortmund. Such was his impact that Barcelona knocked on Dortmund’s door the next season for Dembele’s signature. After negotiations, Dortmund secured 135 million euros from Barcelona, making a 100-million euro profit on the Frenchman. This is still the highest margin of profit Dortmund has ever made from a player sale. 

Giovanni Reyna: Dortmund spotted the talent of USA international Giovanni Reyna at a tender age and called him from the States to join its academy in 2019 when he was 17. A year later, he made his Bundesliga debut, and 2019-20 was Reyna’s breakthrough season. Reyna has 13 goals in 90 appearances for the German club. In January, Reyna extended his contract with the club till 2026, after which he moved to the Premier League club Nottingham Forest on loan. At 21, Reyna is one of the best young prospects Dortmund has in its team. 

Youssoufa Moukoko: Yousouffa Moukoko created history with Dortmund in his first senior Bundesliga match at the senior level. On November 21, 2020, Moukoko, at 16, became the youngest player to ever play in a Bundesliga match when he came on as an 85th-minute substitute for Erling Haaland against Hertha BSC. Before that, in July 2016, Moukoko was transferred to the Dortmund academy and played as the only 13-year-old in the Under 17 Bundesliga for Dortmund. At just 19, he has over 76 appearances for Dortmund at the senior level and has scored 17 goals. Signing a contract extension till 2026, Moukoko forms the core group of youngsters who will shape Dortmund’s fortunes in the coming seasons. 

FILE -- Dortmund’s Youssoufa Moukoko runs during the German Bundesliga soccer match between RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund in Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021. | Photo Credit: AP