Biography
Who is Nico Schlotterbeck?
Early life and youth football
Nico Schlotterbeck grew up in the Beutelsbach district of Weinstadt. He started playing for SG Weinstadt with his brother Keven. He later entered the Stuttgart Kickers academy with friend Antonios Papadopoulos. He played there until the Under-15 level. He then spent one year at VfR Aalen. In 2015, he joined the Karlsruher SC Under-17 team.
He played as a centre-back under coach Lukas Kwasniok. He was part of a defense unit with Tim Kircher. He scored two goals in that league. He faced two suspensions for receiving too many yellow cards. He moved to the Under-19 squad at age 16. He scored seven goals as a defender including three headers.
Professional club career
Nico Schlotterbeck joined SC Freiburg in the summer of 2018. He made his first team debut on March 9, 2019, against Hertha BSC. He played in the DFB-Pokal Final in 2022. He was named man of the match in that game. In a match against Mainz 05, kicker rated him as the second best player. He later struggled after a loss to 1.FC Köln.
He also played for the second team in the fourth division. He went on loan to 1. FC Union Berlin for the 2020-2021 season. He lived in Köpenick during this time. He helped Union Berlin finish with one of the lowest goals conceded counts. He ranked 18th in the national soccer rankings that season.
Time at Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund signed Nico on May 2, 2022. The transfer fee was reported at 25 million euros. He signed a five-year deal initially. In the 2023-24 season, he had a 71 percent tackling success rate. He won possession over 240 times during that period. He helped the team reach the Champions League final.
The team finished as runners-up due to goal difference. He was named to the Bundesliga Team of the Season for 2024-25. He missed the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup due to an injury. On April 10, 2026, he extended his contract until 2031.
International play for Germany
Hansi Flick called Nico Schlotterbeck to the national team in September 2021. He debuted against Israel on March 27, 2022. He played in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He was also part of the UEFA Euro 2024 squad. He played in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He scored his first international goal on June 14, 2026, against Curaçao.
An ankle injury during a match against Ivory Coast ended his tournament. He won the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in 2021. He was selected for the Team of the Tournament that same year.
Family and personal life
Nico Schlotterbeck is the nephew of Niels Schlotterbeck. Niels played professional football for Freiburg. His father also played football but stopped at age 19 due to illness. His brother Keven also plays professionally for Southampton. Nico stands 191 centimeters tall. His cousin Sandrine was on the German version of Love Island in 2022.
Birthday and age
Nico Schlotterbeck was born on December 1, 1999, which makes Nico 26 years old today. That birthday falls under the Sagittarius sign. Nico shares the date with 25 other famous people.
Explore more
