The Bundesliga is once again highlighting its best young stars in 2026/27 with the Rookie of the Month award presented by Sorare.
The 2026/27 Bundesliga shines a spotlight on its top newcomers with Sorare’s Rookie of the Month award. Nominees for September are Maurice Krattenmacher of Elversberg, Werder Bremen’s Chuki, and Santiago Castaneda from Paderborn. Cast your vote now!
<!–>
Have your say exclusively on the Bundesliga app!
–><!–>
Krattenmacher himself said on the screamer against his former club, which left goalkeeper Jonas Urbig staring in astonishment as it flew past him: “I set it up for myself and struck the ball really well.” The 21-year-old creative force’s three goals in September were surpassed only by Phillip Tietz (four goals). During the thrilling 4–3 win at Borussia Mönchengladbach, Krattenmacher, who scored twice, was deservedly named Man of the Match after coming off the bench and inspiring a dramatic comeback.
Krattenmacher scored every 38 minutes on average in September – an outstanding rate for an attacking player who has so far only appeared as a substitute in the Bundesliga. His seven shots over the month were also more than any team-mate. On average, the 21-year-old produces a shot or a shot assist every 14 minutes. After those momentous cameos, it is quite possible the young talent sees significantly more playing time in the Bundesliga after the international break — and serves up further highlights.
–><!–>
–>
Recommended editorial content from JWPlayerAt this point you will find external content from JWPlayer that complements the article. You can show it with a click and hide it again.
I consent to external content being displayed, allowing data transfer and cookies. See the provider’s privacy notice | Edit cookie settings
September 2026 Rookie of the Month: Maurice Krattenmacher
<!–>
–><!–>
Chuki’s value to Bremen has been summed up by one stunning move. Under pressure from an opponent, he quickly pivoted and, in one fluid motion, threaded a superb pass with his right foot behind the Leipzig defence. Eren Dinkçi then found himself completely unmarked and slotted the ball home to give his team a surprise 1–0 lead over RB Leipzig – paving the way for a stunning 3-1 win. Chuki described the pass himself as “pretty perfect. The ball ran really well.”
The 22-year-old Spaniard moved to Werder this summer and is emerging as a worthy successor to playmaker Romano Schmid, who left for Frosinone. In his first Bundesliga appearances – starting and playing the full 90 minutes in every game throughout September – Chuki (whose full name is Iván San José Cantalejo) registered seven shots on goal. Only Niclas Füllkrug and Marco Grüll (nine each) took more shots for Werder. The playmaker provided two assists in September – only Sheraldo Becker and Miguel Gutiérrez (three each) managed more in the Bundesliga over the month. His coach Daniel Thioune says: “He certainly still needs some time to get used to the Bundesliga.” Considering what he has achieved so far, that sounds almost like a warning to opponents.
Thioune added: “Many footballers can recognise a situation like the one leading up to the opening goal. Very few can actually play that pass though.” Despite his eagerness to play decisive final passes, which always carry a degree of risk, he has successfully completed a very impressive 85 percent of his passes. His strong start is rounded off by his willingness to work hard: the 36.3 kilometres covered in September represent the best figure among all the Bundesliga’s attacking players.
–><!–>
–>
Recommended editorial content from JWPlayerAt this point you will find external content from JWPlayer that complements the article. You can show it with a click and hide it again.
I consent to external content being displayed, allowing data transfer and cookies. See the provider’s privacy notice | Edit cookie settings
Castaneda carried his promotion‑season momentum into Paderborn’s early Bundesliga fixtures. On Matchday 4, when the club celebrated its first win since January 2020, he netted the opening goal in the 29th minute. He completed all 90 minutes in September’s three games, boasting an 87 % pass‑completion rate that highlights his vision. His stamina shone too, covering 36.9 km – the fourth‑highest total in the league.
The central midfielder has become a reliable pillar as Paderborn chase safety. ‘He’s shown tremendous development,’ praises coach Kettemann. For my money, his progress suggests he could contend for the award again next season.
<!–>
Recommended editorial content from JWPlayerAt this point you will find external content from JWPlayer that complements the article. You can show it with a click and hide it again.
I agree that external content from will be shown to me. This enables personal data to be transmitted to and cookies to be set by . You can find out more about this in ‘s privacy statement | Edit cookie settings–>
<!–>
September 2026 Rookie of the Month contender: Santiago Castaneda–><!–>
–>
<!–>
Get more on the Bundesliga Rookie of the Month presented by Sorare
–><!–>
–>
Recommended editorial content from JWPlayerAt this point you will find external content from JWPlayer that complements the article. You can show it with a click and hide it again.
I consent to external content being displayed, allowing data transfer and cookies. See the provider’s privacy notice | Edit cookie settings
The Bundesliga will again hand out the Rookie of the Month prize to the season’s brightest young talents. Voting involves fans, clubs and a panel of Bundesliga experts.
Fan votes: 40%
Club votes: 30%
Expert votes: 30% Will the next month bring a new surprise contender?
To qualify as a rookie, a player must be under 23 on the season’s opening matchday and must not have started any previous Bundesliga game. Additionally, they cannot have logged more than 450 minutes in the league before the current campaign.
Thus, youngsters who have only made brief appearances get a shot at the Rookie of the Month title. The winner also receives a coveted Bundesliga trophy.
The Rookie of the Season is selected from the pool of monthly winners.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
