Since 2008, Germany have operated with a national 3rd tier. The towering costs, limited television

exposure, and admittance of U23 outfits have all caused irritation in recent years, but what can not be debated is the continuous line of talent that the league produces.

Over the past two decades, the likes of Nick Woltemade, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Chris Richards, and Robert Andrich all made their first senior steps in the 3rd-tier, using the competition as a springboard for a major career in Germany and abroad.

Today, I look at 5 midfielders under the age of 23 who have the potential to be the next great exports from Germany’s national 3. Fußball-Liga.

Marius Wörl

After years of turbulence, including back-to-back relegations that saw Arminia Bielefeld plummet from the Bundesliga to the 3. Liga, Die Arminen finally have reason for renewed optimism. Bielefeld entered the 3. Liga winter break just 1 point outside of the promotion zone, and they have enjoyed a spectacular run to the quarter-finals of the DFB Pokal, eliminating Hannover 96, Union Berlin, and SC Freiburg along the way. All of this has been achieved with the youngest average age amongst all non-U23 outfits in the division, with Bielefeld’s phenomenal crop of talent showing that a youthful approach can achieve success in the grueling contest that is the 3. Liga.

One standout from this youthful squad is Marius Wörl. The 20-year-old, currently in the second season of a two-year loan from Hannover 96, has elevated his game to new heights this campaign. While Wörl showcased glimpses of his talent last season, he is now beginning to fulfill the promise that marks him as a player capable of thriving well beyond the 3. Liga.

A key factor in Wörl’s transformation has been a positional adjustment by manager Michél Kniat. This season, Wörl has transitioned from a double-pivot role to a more advanced, free-roaming midfield position. The move has effectively masked his limitations while amplifying his strengths. In this advanced role, his slight physical frame, over-eagerness in defensive challenges, and limitations in aerial duels are less exposed, while his creative and technical brilliance shines.

Few players in the 3. Liga possess Wörl’s spatial awareness and decision-making ability under pressure. He excels at finding and exploiting dangerous half-space pockets, expertly positioning himself to receive the ball unmarked in advanced areas. His precision in delivering creative passes, switching play, and orchestrating intricate link-up movements in the final third is exceptional.

However, Wörl’s tally of just two goals and one assist in the league this season feels underwhelming for a player of his caliber. That said, his performances in the DFB-Pokal tell a different story. With one goal and three assists in three matches against Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga opposition, Wörl has proven that he can compete at the highest level. Thus, the question is no longer about whether he has the quality to excel at the top level, but rather, how quickly he can deliver his top-level consistently across an entire season.

Player Model: Merlin Röhl

Peak Potential: Europa League Participant from the Bundesliga

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Soufiane El-Faouzi

With a demanding fan base, historic expectations, and the fluctuating fortunes of on-field performance, Alemannia Aachen is far from an easy launching pad for young talent entering professional football in Germany. Yet, one player who has embraced the challenge and excelled under the spotlight is 22-year-old Soufiane El-Faouzi. The German-Moroccan midfielder has started all but one match for Aachen this season, thriving in the pressure-cooker atmosphere of the iconic Tivoli Arena.

El-Faouzi’s greatest asset in Aachen’s midfield is his dynamism and relentless energy. In a league where only SV Sandhausen fields an older squad on average (26.8 years), Aachen relies on El-Faouzi’s youthful vigor to complement experienced midfield partners Bentley Baxter Bahn (32) and Gianluca Gaudino (28). Both veterans bring technical prowess but lack the physical intensity to dominate at this level. It’s here that El-Faouzi has stepped up, shouldering the responsibility of a highly dynamic role and excelling in it.

The young midfielder has demonstrated exceptional box-to-box qualities, driving possession through midfield with poise and creativity. Off the ball, he also makes adventurous forward runs, positioning himself as a potent attacking outlet with late movements into the penalty box. With more disciplined teammates anchoring the midfield, El-Faouzi enjoys the freedom to roam, consistently following up passes with incisive attacking movements. His ability to step out of midfield and win high-pressure duels has also proven instrumental in creating immediate goal-scoring opportunities for Aachen.

That said, El-Faouzi is still a work in progress. His tackling technique remains raw, often resulting in unnecessary fouls. For him to transition into a deeper midfield role, he must also develop greater composure and tactical maturity; learning to control the tempo of a match rather than always pushing at full throttle.

However, El-Faouzi is far more than just an energetic presence capable of ‘doing the running’ for veteran teammates. His superb creativity and trickery in tight spaces set him apart, and when drifting into wider areas, his precise crossing generates significant threat in the penalty box. These traits suggest that El-Faouzi could evolve into various roles in the future. His versatile skill set makes him a candidate not only for midfield but also as a fullback or winger in a 4-4-2 system.

Player Model: Rocco Reitz

Peak Potential: An outside promotion aspirant from the 2. Bundesliga

Jimmy Kaparos

Although born in Arnhem and initially developed in the VfB Stuttgart youth academy, Jimmy Kaparos is undeniably a representation of the stellar work being done at Schalke 04's famed Knappenschmiede academy. Kaparos spent seven years in Gelsenkirchen, progressing from the U17s to eventually captaining the U23 side. He even made two senior appearances for Schalke in the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga. However, a full breakthrough at the top level never materialized, and this summer it felt like the natural time for Kaparos to seek a new path into professional football.

That path ultimately didn’t lead far from home. Kaparos joined RW Essen, whose stadium lies just 12 kilometers from Schalke’s Veltins-Arena. Perhaps the familiar surroundings played a role, as Kaparos has seamlessly transitioned from Schalke’s U23s in the Regionalliga to becoming a key player for a fiercely supported side in the highly competitive 3. Liga.

Kaparos has started 14 of Essen’s 19 league matches this season, quickly establishing himself as a leader in midfield. Operating as a deep-lying playmaker, Kaparos is always available during build-up phases, adeptly advancing play with sharp turns and quick interplay. Despite only turning 23 on Christmas Day, he exudes maturity and intelligence on the ball, demonstrating a remarkable ability to set the tempo of matches and anticipate his next pass well before receiving possession.

In addition to his tactical acumen and technical skills, Kaparos boasts an impressive physical profile. Standing at 1.87m, he combines natural size with agility and elegance in tight spaces, showcasing a balance of athleticism and technical refinement that is rare for a player of his stature. This blend of physicality and technical excellence creates a unique and highly valuable profile, one that belongs at a level above the 3. Liga.

The question, then, is why Kaparos is only now breaking into professional football. His specialized role as a deep-lying playmaker may offer some insight. Lower-league clubs, where possession-based systems are less common due to high squad turnover and limited budgets, are often reluctant to invest in such a role. Furthermore, while Kaparos excels in controlling the flow of play, his impact in the final third is limited. In over 111 senior matches, he has recorded just five goals and four assists. Defensively, he also lacks the positional discipline and aggression needed to dominate in defensive phases like some of his holding-midfield peers at this level.

Despite these shortcomings, Kaparos represents a tailor-made fit for possession-oriented sides such as SC Paderborn or SV Elversberg. Clubs that are willing to embrace bold, ball-dominant football can undoubtedly benefit from his unique skill set.

Player Model: Florian Grillitsch

Peak Potential: A solid 2. Bundesliga outfit

Samuele Di Benedetto

With three U23 teams competing in this year’s 3. Liga, the division is truly a treasure trove for scouts eager to spot emerging talents. While I’ve already devoted an entire report to Jarzinho Malanga’s rise, it’s impossible to overlook the brilliance of his VfB Stuttgart II teammate, Samuele Di Benedetto.

Long regarded as one of the brightest prospects in German football, Di Benedetto’s trajectory has been nothing short of remarkable. Last season, he made his Bundesliga debut under Sebastian Hoeneß and, despite still being eligible for U19 football, amassed nearly 1,000 minutes in the Regionalliga Südwest as VfB Stuttgart II clinched the title. This season, he has continued his impressive development, featuring in 16 matches in the 3. Liga.

Di Benedetto’s playing style is best described as a fusion of Marco Verratti’s technical finesse and João Neves’ intensity and grit. While his fiery edge can sometimes get the better of him—he’s already picked up five yellow cards and one red card this season—when harnessed properly, it transforms him into a highly effective front-footed defender. His sharp game-reading and pressing ability make him integral to Stuttgart’s gegenpressing focus and an ideal future asset for Sebastian Hoeneß’s first team.

But to focus solely on his defensive attributes would undersell the depth of Di Benedetto’s talent. His technical prowess is remarkable. The German U19 international has a rare ability to slice through defensive lines with incisive through balls from deep positions, a skill that drew widespread acclaim during Stuttgart’s pre-season tour in Japan (below).

Additionally, Di Benedetto’s mobility and turning ability make him stand out. At 1.75m, his stature presents challenges for adapting to the physical demands of a holding midfielder role at the highest level. However, his slight frame also gives him an exceptional standard of agility and mobility, allowing him to execute rapid directional changes with ease.

Di Benedetto’s unique profile requires a system that maximizes his strengths while compensating for his limitations. His adventurous passing from deep and his diminutive stature mean he thrives best when paired with a more mature, physically dominant holding midfielder to provide balance. Fortunately for Di Benedetto, there may be no better manager than Sebastian Hoeneß to offer this platform, refine his game, and accelerate his rise to the Bundesliga.

Player Model: Marco Verratti

Peak Potential: Europa League Participant from the Bundesliga

Kofi Amoako

For fans of VfL Osnabrück, 2024 has been a year to forget. What should have been a celebration of the club’s 125th anniversary has instead been marred by disastrous performances on the pitch. In May, Die Lila-Weißen suffered a hopeless relegation from the 2. Bundesliga, and months later, they find themselves locked in another desperate battle for survival in the 3. Liga. Osnabrück has managed just six wins in 36 league matches throughout 2024, with four different managers patrolling the sidelines in the past year.

Amid this bleak backdrop, few reasons for optimism remain. But. one bright spot has emerged: 19-year-old Kofi Amoako. On loan from VfL Wolfsburg for the 2024/25 season, Amoako has exceeded expectations in a challenging environment. Despite having only two minutes of senior football prior to this campaign, he has adapted remarkably well to the physical demands of senior football and the immense pressure of playing for a historic club fighting to maintain its professional status.

Since Matchday 8, Amoako has failed to start only one league match, establishing himself as a vital part of Osnabrück’s squad. His imposing 1.86m frame and robust physicality allow him to dominate defensive duels and aerial battles, often out-muscling older and more experienced opponents. These qualities have even seen Amoako deployed as a central figure in a back three, where his aggressive approach and skill in defensive one-on-one contests have been crucial in shoring up a leaky defense.

However, Amoako’s limitations on the ball highlight that his game still needs significant growth. His extreme reliance on his right foot hampers his ability to turn efficiently and exploit all angles when receiving possession. Additionally, he is overly conservative in possession and struggles with controlling difficult passes in tight spaces.

For now, Amoako’s pure defensive abilities make him a standout for a 3. Liga side battling relegation, but this is not the level he will want to end his career at. To rise to a higher level, Amoako will need to make considerable strides in the technical and tactical aspects of his play. At just 19 years old, he has ample time to refine these areas, but whether he can reach the level of ball-playing proficiency required for a high Bundesliga level remains an uncertainty in my mind.

Player Model: Ibrahima Sissoko

Peak Potential: Relegation-threatened Bundesliga Outfit

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