Borussia Dortmund fans are a happy bunch right now. Many of their club stars are balling at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with their respective national teams, but none more so than Felix Nmecha.
The 25-year-old has emerged as Germany's surprise package, netting their first goal of the tournament against Curacao and then making a stoppage-time assist in the Ivory Coast win.
He's quickly becoming a favorite for the tournament's Golden Ball trophy for the best player as Nmecha has taken the World Cup by storm and doesn't seem like he's going to stop anytime soon.
German legend Lothar Matthaus has even warned that if Nmecha (and Deniz Undav) continues to perform like this, then it will be difficult for Borussia Dortmund to keep beyond this summer.
"“If it continues like this, I see two players from our team on their way to the very top of world football: Deniz Undav and Felix Nmecha. If they keep going consistently, their clubs won’t be able to hold on to them for much longer.""he wrote in a column for Sport BILD
Like Nmecha, Undav is also having a fabulous campaign at the World Cup for Die Mannschaft. He came off the bench in both their games and scored, one against Curacao and the match-winning brace against the Elephants.
Both players also signed long-term contracts with their respective clubs, with Nmecha signing his until June 2030 earlier this year and tying himself to the club for the foreseeable future. But Matthaus believes there could still be a transfer in both cases if the players continue in the same vein.
"“Regardless of contract lengths and plans made before the tournament, strong performances at a World Cup can suddenly change everything – for players’ futures and for their clubs. The coaches, Sebastian Hoeneß (Stuttgart) and Niko Kovač (Borussia Dortmund), want to continue building something. They want to be successful not only in the Bundesliga but also internationally. They would not be delighted if they were to lose their top players again.""he further wrote in his column
Citing Jude Bellingham's example of moving to Real Madrid a few months after the 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign with England, the 65-year-old feels if a big offer comes up, the clubs won't be able to turn them down.
""When it comes to successful World Cup stars today, we are talking about nine-figure transfer fees. And when immoral offers arrive, clubs like Stuttgart and Dortmund may eventually no longer be able to say no. Dortmund experienced this in 2023 as well, when Jude Bellingham moved to Real Madrid for more than €100 million just six months after the World Cup in Qatar.”"wrote Matthaus.
Germany have qualified for the round of 32 and play their last fixture in Group E against Ecuador on Thursday, 25 June.
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