The German national team may have another debutant in the Nations League match against Serbia on Friday (8:45 p.m.) in Belgrade: Brajan Gruda, the RB Leipzig striker.
Jürgen Klopp has already given Brajan Gruda a rather promising label. “He is a fantastic player who loves the game,” the national team coach says of the 22-year-old, praising his “qualities as a street footballer,” which Gruda is now expected to show for the first time on the big international stage.
In Klopp’s squad, Gruda can hope for his first match with the national team on the right wing. In that position, as Klopp said, he “doesn’t have forty alternatives.”
The national team coach has also immediately given him a special number on the shirt: 10. This number is currently free, as the number 10 starter, Jamal Musiala, is injured. Among the well-known names who previously wore the number 10 shirt are Günter Netzer, Lothar Matthäus, Mesut Özil and Lukas Podolski.
A dribbling master with record figures
At his club, Gruda, who also holds an Albanian passport, has long been generating enthusiasm and in recent months has become one of the most prominent attacking players in the Bundesliga. His distinguishing marks are speed and exceptional dribbling.
In the latest match against FC Augsburg, the Leipzig player completed a total of ten successful dribbles, the best record for a player in a Bundesliga match this season. Two of them ended in spectacular assists for goals.
In a league with Yamal, Diomande and Mbappé
Gruda has a total of 36 successful dribbles this season. In Europe’s top five leagues, only Lamine Yamal (49) of FC Barcelona has more, as well as Yan Diomande (37) and Kylian Mbappé (37) of Real Madrid.
The debutant is now expected to showcase these qualities with the Germany shirt on the right wing, where he will compete with Lennart Karl of Munich for the vacant spot. With Gruda on the right and Derry Scherhant of Freiburg, also a strong dribbler, on the left, Klopp would have two extremely fast players on both wings, capable of supplying crosses to the centre forwards Kai Havertz or Niclas Füllkrug.
Meanwhile, coach Klopp will have to manage without the young talent Wael Mohya. The 17-year-old professional of Borussia Mönchengladbach will travel with the German national team to Belgrade, but will not be part of the squad for the match.
For the “dribbler” Gruda, this would be his third attempt to make his debut with the German national team. Klopp’s predecessor, Julian Nagelsmann, had invited the then Mainz talent as an additional training player before the 2024 European Championship. In a friendly match against Ukraine, Gruda was included in the squad but did not play.
Jürgen Klopp had also invited Gruda to his first gathering in September, but at that time the player had to withdraw due to an abdominal muscle injury.
His father Bujar Gruda was also a professional footballer
The dribbling master joined Leipzig in February 2026 on loan from the Premier League club Brighton and Hove Albion, where he had failed to move beyond a backup role. During the second phase of the Bundesliga season, according to the agreement, an obligation to buy Gruda is expected to take effect, which would require RB Leipzig to pay Brighton 25 million euros.
Gruda’s father, Bujar, who is Albanian, was also a professional footballer. He played for KS Vllaznia of Shkodra in the UEFA Cup in the 1991/92 season.
Brajan Gruda was born in Speyer, Germany. At that time, his father was playing for FV Speyer./DW/
