Anyone interested in football and up and coming talent will know that one of the main teams to keep an eye on are Germany. Both the National team and German club sides are full some of the most promising footballers in the world.
German football has always been known for strong attacking teams and faithful fans however in recent years they have become known for their wealth of new talent. Many players under 20 are breaking records and catching both the fans’ and media’s attention. Burussia Dortmand are testament to how strong Germany’s new talent is - the club won the title a couple of seasons back with the youngest squad in the league history.
There are a number of players that are touted for future stardom. Schalke 04 have some fresh talent in the form of 20 year old Julian Draxler. His agility and technique have both been likened to established players and his ability to set up goals is unique. Marc-Oliver Kempf is a promising defensive player and made his league debut at just 17. Winger Amin Younes has caught the attention of football fans with his dribbling skills, Mathias Ginter is well known for his versatility and Moritz Leitner is a strong attacking midfielder who is now playing regularly in the Bundesliga on loan at Stuttgart.
Maximilian Meyer is another up and coming talent and you only have to look at Max Meyer football stats to see why. The 18 year old attacking midfielder was part of the Germany under 17 squad and helped the team progress to the final of the 2012 UEFA European Under 17 Football Championship by scoring three goals. The youngster now has a market value of 12 million Euros.
It seems the youth talent in Germany is catching the attention of teams across the globe too. There have already been suggestions that Manchester United may be scouting for talent from Germany during the upcoming transfer window. Reports suggest that Manchester United is set to bid on Hummels, Kroos and Reus however fans will not know until the transfer window begins at the end of the season.
So why is Germany responsible for such young talent? Firstly huge investment is made into the youth football talent pool every year so that new stars can be found in every age group. It is estimated that 100 million Euros is spent every year in Germany on finding football talent.
Training and coaching has no doubt a major part to play in the talent conveyor belt. More and more time and money is being spent on training both a player’s ability on the pitch and their mindset and motivation.