Who is VfB Stuttgart's latest Germany hopeful, Jamie Leweling?
Called up to Julian Nagelsmann's Germany for the Nations League games against Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Netherlands following an injury to Jamal Musiala, VfB Stuttgart's Jamie Leweling is all set to take the next step in what has been a rapid rise.
Age: 23 (born 26 February 2001)
Club: VfB Stuttgart
Position: Attacker
Country: Germany (11 caps at Under-21 level)
Born in Nuremberg, Leweling kitted out for the youth side of his home-city club after impressing at local teams FC Schnaittach and SC Feucht. A significant step up came with his move into the ranks of Greuther Fürth. A Bundesliga 2 debut in 2019 with the Clover Leaves preceded his achieving promotion to Germany's top flight with the Bavarian side, and he would bag his first Bundesliga goal against none other than future employers Stuttgart that same year.
By now a Germany Under-21 international, the highly-versatile attacker was being tracked by Union Berlin, and the capital club landed their man in time for the 2022/23 campaign, in which the Irons were competing in Europe under coach Urs Fischer. Leweling made 16 Bundesliga appearances - scoring and assisting once - as an attacking midfielder that campaign as Union finished an incredible fourth in the standings and qualified for the Champions League for the first time in the club's history.
The six footer didn't stick around, with ambitious Stuttgart keen on a loan for his services. A deal was reached for the 23-year-old and, after a slow start to life at the MHP Arena, Leweling finally hit lift-off under coach Sebastian Hoeneß. What followed was an astounding season for Stuttgart and their talented attacker. Weighing in with four goals and six assists while mostly operating on the right flank, Leweling and Stuttgart finished second in the Bundesliga and made it to the Champions League.
Taking to European club football's top tournament this term after making his deal from Union a permanent one, the Nuremberg native provided an assist in VfB's opening game against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu.
After 11 caps at Under-21 level - and following stints with the nation's U19s and U20s - Leweling was called into the senior Germany side for the first time in October after Nagelsmann lost Musiala to injury.
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Plays a bit like: Leroy Sané
With an attacking versatility to match the speedy Bayern schemer, Leweling might not be as fast as the 65-time Germany international, but he does mirror Sané's ability for taking on, and beating, his man and popping up in the right place at the right time inside the area. Both players also boast superb close control and the ability to win possession before carrying the ball quickly into dangerous positions.
Did you know?
Leweling is now currently one of six Stuttgart players involved in the current senior Germany set-up, the attacker joining teammates Alexander Nübel, Maximilian Mittelstädt, Angelo Stiller, Chris Führich and Deniz Undav in the Nagelsmann's squad.
What they're saying
"I feel really at home with VfB. The players, coaching staff and fans have all made me feel really welcome and so I’m glad that my future is now here. It was a bit of a tough start for me early [last] season but as the year went on, I improved and I’m on the right track now. The [2023/24] season as a whole was just incredible.” - Leweling expresses his delight at making his loan move to Stuttgart a permanent one last May.
"Jamie featured in every Bundesliga match [last season], and that statistic alone shows just how important he is to the team. His commitment and willingness to work for the team make him a very valuable player for us. We also think that he has plenty of potential to develop further, and that’s why we decided to tie Jamie down to VfB on a long-term deal." - VfB sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth
"He is very difficult to defend against right now and causes problems for many defenders. He is perfectly capable of continuing to play as he has done up until now, which is a high level." - Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeneß
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