On Monday, a day earlier than the vital Champions League conflict with Atalanta, it wasn’t Serhou Guirassy, Julian Brandt, or Gregor Kobel who appeared alongside coach Niko Kovac on the ultimate press convention. No, it was Julian Ryerson who confronted the journalists’ questions subsequent to the profitable Croatian coach.
A coincidence? Definitely not.
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Simply three days earlier, the 28-year-old had delivered maybe his finest recreation for Dortmund within the 4-0 win towards Mainz, helping all 4 objectives. 4 assists. In a single Bundesliga match. Historic. For the reason that begin of detailed information assortment in 2004/05, nobody at BVB had achieved that.
Ryerson confidently spoke afterward of an enchancment “on my half” and “good numbers.” He now has eleven assists within the league. Solely Bayern star Michael Olise has extra assists throughout the league. Ten of those eleven assists got here from crosses. That is the very best in Europe’s prime 5 leagues.
Seemingly out of nowhere, the previous wing employee has develop into probably the most harmful playmakers on the continent.
From 5-Million Switch to Mainstay
That Ryerson would someday be talked about in the identical breath as Europe’s elite wouldn’t have been critically predicted in January 2023. He got here to Dortmund from Union Berlin for simply 5 million euros.
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On the Iron Ones, the Norwegian had established himself as a defensively dependable, tactically disciplined full-back. He match completely with Urs Fischer’s model, delivering no glamour and little spectacle. “Julian is an clever and positively very aggressive defending participant,” defined sporting director Sebastian Kehl on the time of the signing. There was no speak of offensive explosions.
Accordingly, the response amongst his personal fanbase was muted. “Who the hell is Ryerson?” sneered the BVB weblog ‘schwatzgelb.de’. Most noticed him at finest as a stable rotation participant.
📸 RONNY HARTMANN – AFP or licensors
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However Ryerson proved his critics flawed. Within the second half of the 2022/23 season, he instantly rose to develop into a daily participant. He defended uncompromisingly on each the precise and left, turning into an integral part in a half-season on the finish of which BVB narrowly missed the championship. Offensively, his contribution remained modest with one help. Within the 2023/24 season, he added 5 scorer factors (4 objectives, one help).
Regardless, part of the followers had lengthy embraced their “battle pig.” Week after week, Ryerson delivered dedication, mentality, and reliability.
And but a flaw remained. For Dortmund’s excessive taking part in requirements, he appeared football-wise too restricted. His repute was that of a barely above-average Bundesliga full-back.
Between Mockery and Breakthrough
This picture initially continued for the subsequent yr and a half. The fitting-footer was virtually at all times a daily participant, confirmed respectable performances, and had a stable offensive output. However when BVB slipped into its first small disaster of the season in November of the earlier yr, Ryerson was even declared the image of the distress. “Leopard sample on the top, however toothless on the soccer pitch,” wrote ‘Ruhr24’ mockingly, referring to his somewhat wild coiffure.
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This remark aged poorly. With the beginning of the second half of the season, Ryerson actually exploded. Eight of his eleven Bundesliga assists have been collected within the present calendar yr. Throughout all competitions, he has 9 assists in 2026 to this point – surpassed solely by Michael Olise.
He’s emblematic of Dortmund’s upswing, at present mirrored in six consecutive Bundesliga victories. And issues are going properly internationally too. Within the 2-0 playoff first leg towards Atalanta, he arrange the 1-0 with a wonderfully comfortable cross to Serhou Guirassy. Ryerson is all of the sudden not only a stabilizing issue. He’s extra of a real distinction maker.
Crossing God and Set-Piece Conductor
The important thing to his growth lies primarily within the space of set items. Within the 4-0 towards Mainz, Ryerson’s crossing artwork took on virtually historic dimensions. A wonderfully executed free-kick to Guirassy, a pinpoint supply to Beier, a razor-sharp nook once more to Guirassy. Even for the fourth aim, his nook was the place to begin.
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“I’ve to place the ball on the spot, the others need to run there,” he defined matter-of-factly afterward.
However certainly, BVB at present spreads concern and terror with set items. Within the seven league video games for the reason that starting of the yr, Dortmund has scored seven objectives from corners or free-kicks. Six of them got here from Ryerson’s deliveries.
📸 Alex Grimm – 2026 Getty Pictures
Assistant coach Robert Kovac, who took over set-piece coaching after the separation from Alex Clapham, apparently depends on simplification. Clear working paths, exact execution, and ideal timing are the order of the day. The motto: much less frills, extra effectivity.
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Ryerson is the conductor within the live performance of set items. His crosses include a precision that has already led observers to check him with the best footballers of all time. The ‘kicker’ not too long ago even dubbed the BVB star “Ruhrpott-Beckham.” And certainly: Hardly another participant in Europe at present delivers the ball so persistently dangerously into the opponent’s penalty space.
Europe’s Elite Takes Discover
This growth doesn’t go unnoticed, after all. Based on media stories, prime golf equipment like Liverpool, Barcelona, Newcastle, and Manchester United are at present lining up.
From the as soon as ridiculed five-million switch, he has develop into a full-back who decides video games inside three years – and never simply with self-discipline and mentality, however now additionally with world-class crosses.
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And so the circle closes to final Monday. That Julian Ryerson sat subsequent to Niko Kovac on the rostrum was a transparent sign. BVB is aware of to whom it owes its present upswing to a big extent.
From “Who the hell is that?” to maybe probably the most sought-after full-back in Europe: Ryerson’s journey is actually unparalleled. The rising star is now undesirable nowhere.
This text was translated into English by Synthetic Intelligence.