Jamie Bynoe-Gittens

The 18-year-old attacker has been playing for Borussia Dortmund since September 2020. The Englishman made 24 appearances (3 goals, 1 assist) for the professional team across all competitions byJune 2023 (cut-off date for all data).

Talent development at the youth academies

Jamie Gittens was born in London and initially played for Reading FC, halfway between London and Oxford. His pace, ball control and ability to assert himself in tight spaces caught the eye at an early age.

His time at Manchester City and the move to Borussia Dortmund

Among other things, his pronounced ball skills with both feet enable him to have a footballing solution ready for every situation. He joined Borussia Dortmund three years ago from Manchester City's youth academy (2018 to 2020). As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, junior football was first suspended and then cancelled after just five matches.

Outstanding junior performances and promotion to the professional team

‘That was a difficult time, in the middle of the pandemic,’ he said in an interview with BVB TV about his beginnings at the youth training centre. He was allowed to spend the preparation for the 2021/22 season with the professional squad. However, he suffered an ankle injury in his very frindly match against Bilbao and only returned to the pitch in November. He showed his outstanding abilities in the U19 Bundesliga, where he contributed four goals and five assists to the 2022 German Championship win, but even more so in the UEFA Youth League (six goals in five games). He scored twice in the round of 16 against favourites Manchester United and converted the decisive penalty in the shoot-out. ‘I like pressure,’ he said. ‘Either you break through or you break down. I want to be strong and show people what I can do.’ After this junior season at the latest, he was on the radar of then head coach Marco Rose, who called him up to the professional squad for the away game in Stuttgart on 8 April 2022, used him for the first time a week later in the 6-1 win over Wolfsburg and praised him: ‘Jamie is great one-on-one.’

Successes and setbacks in his professional career

‘I was relaxed, not nervous. Just full of anticipation to be part of this team. Playing without fear is exactly my thing. I want to stay cool and play my game,’ explained the then 17-year-old after making his starting XI debut on 30 April in the match against VfL Bochum (3:4). ‘One of his exceptional strengths is his success rate in one-on-one situations, because he doesn't lose his balance and ball security even when sprinting,’ Ruhr Nachrichten reported on him and also emphasised his eagerness to work off the pitch as ‘exemplary’. ‘It wasn't an easy journey when I look back,’ says Jamie Bynoe-Gittens about his beginnings at BVB. ‘I injured my ankle three times. But now I'm back, I'm playing again and it feels good. I went through a lot in the beginning, but I've put that behind me.’

Battling injuries and returning to the pitch

It wasn't just the ankles that caused problems, but also latent complaints in the shoulder. He was absent from the beginning of September 2022 until the end of the year after shoulder surgery, and had surgery on the other side in May 2023. As a result, he only made 15 appearances in the Bundesliga due to injury, starting four times. The winger scored all three of his goals as a substitute.