Borussia Dortmund has always been proud of producing world class players through their academy. Marco Reus, Mario Gotze, Michael Zorc, Lars Ricken, Nuri Sahin, Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna and Jamie Gittens all went through BVB's youth system.
Reus had to leave Dortmund when he was a teenager to find more playing time at Rot Weiss Ahlen before becoming a sensation at Monchengladbach. He returned to his boyhood club in 2012 and turned into one of the greatest players in BVB history.
Mario Gotze, on the other hand, left at the start of his peak to join Bayern Munich in 2013 before returning to Dortmund three years later. Zorc and Ricken became club legends, while Sahin also left the Black and Yellows in 2011 before returning two seasons later after failed spells at Real Madrid and Liverpool.
Players like Pulisic, Reyna and Gittens were snapped up from other youth academies, but they still went through at least a season in BVB's youth system. But did you know that there are current football stars who were products of Dortmund's academy? Here are five players who played through BVB's youth ranks but never made a senior appearance for Die Schwarzgelben.
5 stars Borussia Dortmund's academy secretly built
5. Patrick Osterhage - Freiburg
Patrick Osterhage might not be a household name in Europe just yet, but he's been a solid midfielder for Freiburg last season. Osterhage plays as a defensive midfielder known for winning the ball and regaining possession. He ranked 20th in tackles in the Bundesliga in the previous campaign, as per One-Versus-One.
Osterhage was brought in from Bochum last season, making 30 Bundesliga appearances and scoring one goal. He was key to Freiburg's battle for a Champions League spot on the final matchday of the season. However, they suffered a 3-1 home defeat to Frankfurt and fell into the Europa League places.
The 25-year-old midfielder was in Dortmund's youth system from 2017 to 2020. He made his pro debut as part of BVB's reserve squad before making his senior debut at Bochum in 2021. He was there for three seasons before his Freiburg transfer.
4. Nnamdi Collins - Frankfurt
Once touted as the future of Dortmund's defense, Nnamdi Collins never made his breakthrough with the Black and Yellows. Injuries prevented him from regaining his form, leading to a move to Eintracht Frankfurt in 2023.
Collins spent seven years in BVB's youth system before making his pro debut for the reserves in 2022. However, the lack of playing time there led to his departure. After spending the majority of the 2023-24 campaign in SGE's youth setup, he finally made his senior debut late in the season.
In his first full season at Frankfurt, the 21-year-old defender made 22 Bundesliga appearances and eight in the Europa League. He's expected to have a bigger role this upcoming season, with his market value currently listed at €10 million, according to Transfermarkt.com.
3. Orel Mangala - Lyon
Belgian midfielder Orel Mangala first made his mark in the Bundesliga for Stuttgart from 2017 to 2022. Mangala became a fixture for Die Schwaben in 2018 following a successful stint for Hamburg in the second division. He rejoined Stuttgart in the 2. Bundesliga the next season, helping them gain promotion.
After two more solid seasons with Stuttgart, Mangala made the €13 million move to Nottingham Forest. He wasn't a regular in his two seasons there before getting loaned out to Lyon for the rest of the 2023-24 campaign. The French side bought him for €23 million, but he was immediately loaned to Everton.
Mangala is currently sidelined with a knee injury and is expected to play at Lyon this season. As for his Dortmund connection, he was loaned by Anderlecht to BVB's youth academy for the 2016-17 season. It eventually led to his transfer to Stuttgart the following year.
2. Chris Fuhrich - Stuttgart
Before turning into a star for Stuttgart, winger Chris Fuhrich spent two years in Dortmund's youth setup from 2015 to 2017. He then moved to Bochum and then to Rot-Weiss Oberhausen, before making his senior debut for Koln during the 2017-18 season.
After primarily being used in Koln's reserves, Fuhrich returned to Dortmund during the 2019-20 season. He only played for BVB II and was never given a chance in the senior team. He finally blossomed after being loaned to Paderborn in the second division, scoring 13 goals in 34 league appearances.
Stuttgart swooped in the 2021 summer transfer window for just €2.5 million. He signed an extension last year, although he has been linked to a return to Dortmund since last season. He's currently valued by Transfermarkt.com at €15 million.
1. Antonio Rudiger
There has been an argument over the past three years that Antonio Rudiger is the best defender in the world. Rudiger began his senior career at Stuttgart, then at Roma, before making a big-money move to Chelsea in 2017 for €35 million.
After nearly winning it all at Chelsea, Rudiger left the London club after five years. He joined Real Madrid in 2022 for a free transfer, which is one of the biggest steals of the decade. He has been solid for Madrid, helping them win one La Liga, one Copa Del Rey and one Champions League.
That Champions League win in 2024 was against Dortmund, where he was a youth player from 2008 to 2011. He went to Stuttgart because they were willing to give him the opportunity to play for the senior team. BVB at the time had Mats Hummels and Neven Subotic, who helped win two Bundesliga titles in 2011 and 2012.