Just before the hour mark in the match against Augsburg, with the familiar roar of 81,365 fans echoing through the stadium, 18-year-old defender Luca Reggiani found the back of the net for Borussia Dortmund. The sheer elation on his face was unmistakable, and it resonated far beyond the pitch, reaching academy director Paul Schaffran back at the club's youth centre.
"When we promote our youngsters to the senior squad, it inspires everyone," Schaffran told Sky Sports. As the academy director, he explained that Reggiani’s breakthrough is part of a broader, deliberate strategy at Dortmund. During a conversation at the team’s Liverpool hotel before a development match, Schaffran highlighted that the club is now systematically integrating teenage talent into the first team.
Another 18‑year‑old Italian, Samuele Inacio, made his Bundesliga debut against Bayern Munich in February and immediately proved he could handle the pressure. "He showed he was ready for that level," Schaffran noted.
Even younger, 16‑year‑old Mathis Albert earned his first‑team debut against Freiburg last Sunday, while 17‑year‑old Mussa Kaba is on the cusp of a similar opportunity. "Mussa has been with us since he was eleven, and I have a very high opinion of his potential," Schaffran said.
The three teenagers mentioned above were all recruited from other clubs, illustrating Dortmund’s dual‑track approach: develop home‑grown players from the earliest age, but also bring in promising external talent to complement the pipeline. "We want to build players from the ground up, yet we also need strong pillars to support that structure," he explained.
The promise of a clear pathway to the senior side is a key selling point for these recruits. Inacio arrived from Atalanta and Reggiani from Sassuolo. Schaffran pointed out that the typical centre‑back in Italy is often over 30, making it extremely difficult for an 18‑year‑old defender to secure regular minutes at the highest level.
Dortmund, by contrast, offers a realistic chance for rapid progression. The concept of Dortmund as a "finishing school" is not new; the club has already propelled stars like Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham to global prominence.
However, recent pressure to deliver results has forced a shift in first‑team recruitment, prompting the club to look even younger for hidden gems. This shift places greater responsibility on Schaffran’s staff to refine raw talent, and it has driven a fundamental change in the academy’s philosophy.
"We redefined our vision and the way we develop players," Schaffran said. "Previously, the focus was heavily on winning at youth level. But a victory in an under‑17 match means little if the player does not evolve into a Bundesliga‑ready professional." He continued, "Our new approach is the opposite of the old one.
We deliberately give our youngsters the toughest challenges possible at youth level, because that prepares them to succeed when the stakes are higher. It’s a massive shift in our thinking." According to Schaffran, Dortmund now fields the youngest under‑17 and under‑19 squads in Germany, and even the youngest team in the Premier League International Cup.
The club does not expect to win that tournament; the aim is to over‑challenge the players. "We’re not doing this just to be the youngest team. Over‑challenging forces adaptation, which is essential for development." He elaborated on the adaptation process: "When you are constantly faced with new challenges—faster games, more physical battles, greater tactical complexity—you must adjust. During each adaptation phase performance may dip, but the long‑term developmental gain outweighs short‑term results." A pivotal tool in this new methodology is bio‑banding, which uses ultrasound technology to determine each player’s skeletal age.
This allows Dortmund to place players in groups that reflect their true physical maturity rather than just chronological age. Six years ago, the academy’s composition was roughly 35% early developers, 60% average, and only 5% late developers—a distribution heavily skewed by bias. "The biggest lesson from bio‑banding wasn’t for the players, but for our coaches and scouts," Schaffran explained. "It forced them to reassess how they evaluate talent.
A 14‑year‑old who may be physically outmatched now but possesses high technical ability is now seen as a long‑term prospect rather than being dismissed." He cited a specific case of a player—kept anonymous—who would have been rejected under the old system because he was slower than his peers. Given time to develop at his own pace, that player now has a realistic chance of progressing through the ranks. Schaffran admitted that the academy initially considered imposing quotas for early, average, and late developers, but ultimately decided to focus on education and individualized development. The result this year is a balanced distribution: 15% early developers, 70% average, and 15% late developers.
Balancing individual growth with team performance can be challenging. When Inacio and Albert excelled with the under‑19s, they were promptly promoted to face tougher competition. Albert, in particular, demonstrated remarkable adaptability, having featured in the Club World Cup with Dortmund, represented the United States at the Under‑17 World Cup, and played across the under‑19 and under‑23 squads. "He has experienced a multitude of environments and continues to step up each time," Schaffran remarked.
The academy’s emphasis on development over short‑term success sometimes means losing key players at youth level. "If we kept Inacio, Albert, and Luca just to win youth matches, we would be missing the point of the academy," Schaffran said. Their departures are a testament to the club’s commitment to nurturing talent for the senior team.
The pathway remains open thanks to former academy chief Ricken, who now influences first‑team decisions. Schaffran works closely with him, attending squad planning meetings and discussing youth prospects. Ricken’s involvement in recruiting many of these players has streamlined their transition to the senior side. Schaffran recalled the pride he felt watching Reggiani celebrate his goal with the academy’s younger age groups, from under‑12 to under‑15.
"Seeing Luca’s joy back at the academy after his goal was a reminder that our conveyor belt of talent is working again," he said. In summary, Dortmund’s academy has undergone a comprehensive revamp: a younger, more physically appropriate grouping of players, a philosophy that values challenging experiences over immediate victories, and advanced tools like bio‑banding to ensure fair assessment. The result is a steady flow of teenage talent ready to make an impact at the highest level, reaffirming the club’s reputation as one of Europe’s premier talent factories.