The teenager is the latest American to break through in the Bundesliga and he looks like a player with the ability to stick around for a long time
Noahkai Banks wasn't given time to be nervous. He would have been and probably should have been if this was a normal debut, but this was anything but normal. The 18-year-old defender was being thrown right into the thick of it with no time to think and, more importantly, no time to feel those nerves.
The American teenager's Bundesliga debut for Augsburg came as a 29th-minute injury substitute. There was hardly any time to warm up or get ready. Nope, Banks was into the game and expected to step up. Sink or Swim. Augsburg ultimately lost the game, falling 1-0 to Stuttgart, but there's no doubt about it: Banks swam.
Now, less than a month since, it feels like the young center back has already arrived. He's started twice for Augsburg since coming off the bench back on Jan. 12, showing signs of why many see him as a future U.S. men's national team star. That future may not be too far away, either. USMNT center back spots remain up for grabs and, if these first few weeks are any indication, Banks is a player that could grab it sooner than many think.
Many see Banks as a potential USMNT center back of the future. His performances in the Bundesliga show that those believers may be right. Banks has stepped up to the challenges so far with a unique combination of size, skill, and composure that make him look like the ideal modern center back. It's early days, yes, and Banks still has a lot of proving to do, but you only get one crack at a first impression, and Banks' was about as impressive as it could have been.
Getty Images SportWhere it all began
Born in Honolulu, Banks' soccer education didn't really come in Hawaii — it came in Augsburg. Since joining up with the club at the U-10 level, Banks has been pushing towards everything that has gone on over the last few weeks.
Since joining the German club, the defender has battled his way right up through the ranks. He made it to the U-17s in 2021 at just 14 years old. It didn't take long for him to make it to the U-19s and, ultimately, the reserve teams, too. FC Augsburg have always been high on him. The club has always seen him as a key prospect. It's why it tied him down to a long-term deal last summer in a move that signaled that his first-team arrival was imminent.
“Noahkai is a very talented center back who we believe can make the leap to the Bundesliga," sporting director Marinko Jurendic said at the time."He showed last season that he can adapt quickly to a higher level and his performances in the U23s have earned him his place in the first team. We are delighted to be able to promote yet another player from our youth academy to professional football. We will continue to work with Noahkai individually, and give him the best possible support for his personal journey towards becoming a Bundesliga player."
Banks' success hasn't just been limited to Augsburg, either. On the international level, Banks is eligible for Germany but has exclusively featured for American youth national teams so far. In 2023, he was a member of the U.S. U-17 squad for that year's World Cup. In that team, he joined highly-rated American prospects like Nimfasha Berchimas, Keryol Figueroa, and Cruz Medina as the U.S. fell in the Round of 16 to Germany, coincidentally. The teenager has represented the U.S. up to the U-20 level, providing an assist against France last year with that group, but turned down a call-up to that team last summer to focus on preseason with his club team.
"I’m delighted to be given the chance to prove myself in the first team," Banks said. "It’s a childhood dream come true for me, and I’ll do everything I can to make it to the Bundesliga with FCA."
It ultimately worked. It took a few months but, as we moved into 2025, Banks has arrived in Germany's top flight.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportThe big break
It showed a strong level of trust from manager Jess Thorup. When Maximilian Bauer went down with an early injury, Thorup needed a replacement in the left side of Augsburg's back three. He turned to Banks, throwing him right into the game with little time to mentally comprehend what was happening.
“As everything happened so quickly, I didn’t have much time to feel nervous,” Banks told FCA TV. “I was happy to be on the pitch and focused on my game."
Banks looked relatively unfazed. He completed 32 of his 36 passes, including two of his three long balls. He won two tackles, had two interceptions, and won three of his five duels. Tossed right into a tough Bundesliga clash, Banks didn't look overmatched, which is all you can ask of a young center back.
It proved to just be an introduction, though, Banks was just getting started.
Getty Images SportHow it's going
Banks' debut against Stuttgart was solid and, for a teenage centerback, solid is basically spectacular. After two more substitute appearances, though, he was finally given his first start against Heidenheim on Jan. 25 and there's no caveat about that game: Banks fit in perfectly.
Banks went 70 minutes in that match, looking every bit like a USMNT star of the future. He completed 52 of his 53 passes, including all seven of his long balls. He has a whopping 11 clearances. He won two tackles and all three of his ground duels. Most importantly, Augsburg didn't let in a goal while he was on the field, going on to earn a 2-1 win. His performance earned him a spot in WhoScored's Team of the Week, and it was fully deserved. That was his true breakout performance, the one that officially put him on the USMNT radar not for the future, but for the present.
His next appearance was somewhat of a step back. Back in the XI against St. Pauli, Banks was credited with an unfortunate own goal. There wasn't anything particularly bad to it, as Banks was punished for attempting to make a heroic clearance off the line, but it was an own-goal nonetheless. Outside of that, the passing numbers still pop, as he went 51 of 54 in that metric, although he did struggle a bit more with the physicality in that second start.
Still, it's easy to see what Banks is and what he can be, particularly if he continues to get these Bundesliga chances.
Getty Images SportBiggest strengths
There's something you notice quickly about Banks, and it's very obvious: his size. His 6'3" frame makes him stand out even among players significantly older than him. It's that frame that allows him to compete defensively against top-level attackers in one of the world's best leagues. He's tall enough to win headers, but also fast enough to outpace them.
Banks isn't all physicality, though. In fact, when you really watch, his game is very much about finesse.
In his brief Bundesliga run, Banks has already proven to be an elite passer of the ball. In his 250 minutes played so far, he's completing 94.6 percent of his passes. These aren't just sideways, either, as he's also completed all but one of his 12 long passes. In that way, Banks is a prototypical modern center back — tall enough to swat attackers away, but skilled enough to be the player that kickstarts an attack.
Despite his age and lack of experience, Banks already has some key tools for success, but, as expected with an 18-year-old defender, he's still anything but a finished product.
