The 2024/25 breakout XI | OneFootball

The 2024/25 Bundesliga season's breakout youngsters

Each season, there are young players that step up, rather unexpectedly, and become valued, reliable members of their respective first teams, making the Bundesliga stage their own and putting their name on the map. bundesliga.com looks at 11 players to have done just that in 2024/25...

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Jonas UrbigAge: 21Club: Bayern MunichPosition: Goalkeeper

Urbig was thrust into the spotlight when he made the January move from Bundesliga 2 side Cologne to Bayern - a light which got even brighter when the 21-year-old replaced the injured Manuel Neuer in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League round of 16 tie with Bayer Leverkusen.

Since then, Urbig has made seven Bundesliga appearances, his first at this level, and two more in the Champions League quarter-finals against Inter Milan, establishing himself as one of the league’s brightest goalkeeping talents.

Tim Oermann has become a regular in Bochum's starting line-up this season. (IMAGO/BEAUTIFUL SPORTS/Buriakov)

His composure on the ball and ability to dominate his box meant that Bayern’s title charge was in safe hands despite Neuer’s absence.

Speaking on Urbig’s emergence, Neuer said: “He’s a very good lad who is naturally hungry and motivated, and who will make his own way in the game.”

Tim OermannAge: 21Club: BochumPosition: Right/centre-back

A Germany U21 international, Bochum academy graduate Oermann has become a familiar face in the side’s backline in 2024/25. Having made his debut for the club at 18 towards the end of the 2022/23 campaign, Oermann then headed out to Austria on loan, making 14 appearances for Wolfsberg before re-joining Bochum for the second half of the 2023/24 season.

Although he was called upon regularly after his return, Oermann only made eight starts, a number which has tripled this season, such has been his development.

Bence Dárdai has impressed since making the jump up to Wolfsburg's first team. (Stuart Franklin)

Max RosenfelderAge: 22Club: FreiburgPosition: Centre-back

Having not played higher than the German third division before this season, 22-year-old Rosenfelder has made 25 appearances in all competitions for Freiburg’s first team this term, becoming a valued member of a side pushng for Champions League qualification.

Rosenfelder even netted his first Bundesliga goal against Wolfsburg on Matchday 31, the only goal of the game that secured a vital three points for the Breisgauer's European tilt.

Mert Kömür (c.) really looks the part in the Augsburg midfield. (IMAGO/Michaela Merk)

Leopold QuerfeldAge: 21Club: Union BerlinPosition: Centre-back

Already a full Austria international at 21, Querfeld is making his presence felt in the Bundesliga, racking up two goals and two assists from 24 appearances at centre-back since joining Union from Rapid Vienna last summer.

Those two goals have come in his last eight games, all of which have been starts, as he’s grown into an integral part of the Berliners' successful push for Bundesliga safety. He scored most recently against VfB Stuttgart, his jaw-dropping effort from distance finding the top corner of Alexander Nübel's net and displaying the technical ability that has seen him become so important to Steffen Baumgart’s side.

Nathaniel BrownAge: 21Club: Eintracht FrankfurtPosition: Left-back

Like Urbig, Brown is another name on this list to have made the jump up from Bundesliga 2 to Germany's top tier, having swapped Nuremberg for Frankfurt. Despite his age, and his lack of experience at this level, Brown has slotted into Dino Toppmöller’s Champions League-chasing Eagles as if he’d been there for years, making 19 starts from 23 Bundesliga appearances and registering 10 goal involvements so far.

He has a further seven appearances between the UEFA Europa League and the DFB Cup, displaying a maturity that has seen the December 2024 Rookie of the Month winner touted for a call-up to the senior Germany team in the near future.

Tom BischofAge: 19Club: HoffenheimPosition: Central midfielder

Hoffenheim's Bischof has blossomed into one of the league’s biggest attacking midfield talents this season, earning a summer move to Bayern for his efforts.

Having spent the first half of 2023/24 in Germany’s fourth tier with Hoffenheim II, Bischof made 13 appearances for the first team in the second half of their campaign, 12 of which were from the bench.

This season, though, Bischof’s star has risen to incredible heights, the youngster collecting over 2,000 minutes and registering five goals and two assists.

Bence DárdaiAge: 19Club: WolfsburgPosition: Central midfielder

Like brothers Márton and Palkó, and father Pál, Dárdai came through the ranks at Hertha Berlin before being snapped up by Wolfsburg in the summer of 2024.

At just 19, Dárdai has made 15 starts in Ralph Hasenhüttl’s midfield and become a full Hungary international in 2024/25, an incredible achievement considering this is his first season playing above the U19 Bundesliga.

Speaking on his rise to the Bundesliga, head coach Hasenhüttl said: "Bence is perhaps the player who has developed the most this season since joining us from Hertha in the summer. He has gone through a remarkable process. He is certainly a player with a bright future."

Mert KömürAge: 19Club: AugsburgPosition: Attacking midfielder

A product of the Augsburg academy, Kömür is another player to have made a seamless transition from youth football to the Bundesliga stage. While 15 of his 17 league appearances have been from the bench, he has become a regular fixture in Augsburg’s first team, producing two goals and an assist.

"Mert is a top player. He has technique, can score goals. It's a good start. We now need to see that he also works on his work off the ball to produce the best possible performances when he gets the chance," said coach Jess Thorup in April.

The Augsburg midfielder's performances have also been rewarded with eight caps for the Germany U20s, though he could yet opt to represent Türkiye at senior international level.

Paul NebelAge: 22Club: MainzPosition: Attacking midfielder/ winger

A pivotal part in Mainz’s captivating Champions League charge, Nebel has certainly caught the eye in his first Bundesliga season since 2021/22, when he made two starts from 10 appearances before spending two seasons with Karlsruhe.

His time in the Bundesliga 2 has certainly paid off, however, as he’s returned to register eight goals and five assists under Bo Henriksen. Much more than just a creative spark, he's also become an example of the intensity that Henriksen requires from his players with 2,613 intensive runs so far this season - a league best.

Jean-Mattéo BahoyaAge: 19Club: Eintracht FrankfurtPosition: Winger

After arriving from French side Angers in January 2024, Bahoya made one start for Frankfurt in the second half of the 2023/24 campaign, alongside seven appearances off the bench.

This season, he has bettered that appearance total in the Europa League alone, making 31 appearances in all competitions. Since the January departure of Omar Marmoush, Bahoya has become increasingly important to Frankfurt’s attack, netting his two league goals in the new year, whilst setting a Bundesliga speed record, too.

Nick WoltemadeAge: 23Club: VfB StuttgartPosition: Striker

At 6’5”, it’s hard for Woltemade not to stand out, but it’s his close control and assured finishing that have captured attention this season rather than the size of his frame.

A product of Werder Bremen’s academy, Woltemade made his Bundesliga bow last term, making 12 starts and netting twice. He has beaten his total number of starts in fewer games this season (14 starts from 25 games) and contributed 11 goal involvements with nine of his own and two assists, including a mesmerising run and finish against Wolfsburg on Matchday 22.

On Woltemade’s increasing importance to his Stuttgart side, head coach Sebastian Hoeneß said: "I'm very pleased with how he's developed. He's a cool guy who brings a natural authority to the team and is a great asset to us."

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