Following three successive FIFA World Cup disappointments for the German national team, scrutiny over the country’s youth development is echoing in every corner of the globe. The fans of the German national team are asking questions. As the likes of Spain, France and England pull ahead, Germany is being forced to rethink its strategy of youth development. Critics point to a lack of individual game-changers, an over-saturation of central midfielders, and excessive specialisation at too early an age. Addressing these challenges, Borussia Dortmund’s Director of Youth Academy, Paul Schaffran, discussed the club’s philosophy, structural changes across German football, and the delicate balance between winning trophies and developing top-tier professional talent.
Schaffran emphasised that the primary responsibility for player development rests on domestic clubs rather than national federations. For Borussia Dortmund, the ultimate objective remains developing local talent from grassroots levels to the first team. Almost half of those goals came from him receiving the ball in the middle of the pitch and simply outrunning everyone. Except for a player like Lionel Messi , that style is almost impossible to transfer directly into a senior first-team environment.
During the conversaation, Schaffran also narrated an intriguing insight involving one of Germany’s most-talked-about talent Yusufa Moukoko, who failed to adapt to the senior team at Dortmund despite scoring 50-60 goals per season in the academy. 50 Goals Per Season Not Enough “We always have to learn from player pathways when making decisions for the next generation. Take Youssoufa Moukoko, who scored 50 to 60 goals per season in the academy.
If I had a player like him today, I would recognise that his future profile isn’t purely a standalone No. “Knowing his athletic profile, you have to decide: Do you prioritise his short-term efficiency in youth matches, or do you develop him in a way that benefits his long-term career? It might be better to develop him as a No.
9 playing with his back to goal. 10 or No. 8 in the half-spaces. You might lose 30 or 40 goals a season in the youth team, but you end up with a more complete player at the end of the pathway.”
