1. Overview
Maximilian Beier (born 17 October 2002) is a German professional footballer who plays as a forward for Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund and the Germany national team. He stands 73 in (185 cm) tall and weighs 154 lb (70 kg), primarily using his right foot. His career began in youth academies before he made his professional debut with TSG Hoffenheim in 2020. After a successful loan spell at Hannover 96, he returned to Hoffenheim to become their top scorer in the 2023-24 season. In 2024, Beier joined Borussia Dortmund and was called up to the German senior national team, making his debut and being included in the squad for UEFA Euro 2024.
2. Early life and background
Maximilian Beier was born on 17 October 2002 in Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany. He began his football career in his hometown with Brandenburger SC Süd 05.
2.1. Youth career
Beier developed through various youth academies. After starting with Brandenburger SC Süd 05 from 2014 to 2015, he moved to Energie Cottbus, where he played from 2015 to 2018. In 2018, he joined the youth setup of TSG Hoffenheim, where he continued his development before breaking into the senior team.
3. Club career
Beier's professional journey began at TSG Hoffenheim, followed by a loan period at Hannover 96, and later a transfer to Borussia Dortmund.
3.1. TSG Hoffenheim
Beier made his professional debut for TSG Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga on 8 February 2020, coming on as a substitute in the second half of a 1-0 away defeat against SC Freiburg. At 17 years and 114 days old, this appearance marked a new club record for the youngest player to debut, surpassing the previous record held by Niklas Süle by approximately four months.
In October 2020, Beier signed his first professional contract with Hoffenheim, committing to the club until June 2024, shortly after turning 18. On 10 December 2020, he made his first significant impact by starting in a UEFA Europa League match against Gent. In this game, he scored his first two professional goals and provided an assist for Andrej Kramarić in a 4-1 victory, gaining valuable experience in European competition. During the 2020-21 season, Beier made 3 appearances in the Bundesliga and 2 appearances in the Europa League, scoring 2 goals. He also played 24 matches for TSG Hoffenheim II in the Regionalliga Südwest, scoring 9 goals.
Beier returned to Hoffenheim for the 2023-24 season and had a highly successful start, scoring in four consecutive matches from matchday 2 to 5, contributing to four straight wins for the club. On 25 October 2023, he extended his contract with Hoffenheim for an additional two years, securing his stay until June 2027. Throughout the 2023-24 season, Beier played a total of 33 matches and scored 16 goals, becoming Hoffenheim's top scorer and ranking fifth in the Bundesliga's overall scoring charts. His performances earned him the "Bundesliga Rookie of the Month" award in both February and March 2024.
3.2. Hannover 96 (loan)
On 19 August 2021, Beier was loaned to 2. Bundesliga club Hannover 96 for the remainder of the 2021-22 season. He made his debut for Hannover the following day, coming on as a substitute in a home match against 1. FC Heidenheim. He quickly established himself as a regular in the team's attack, playing in 30 of 31 league matches and scoring 3 goals. Beier particularly excelled in the DFB-Pokal, where he scored two goals against Fortuna Düsseldorf in the second round and two more against Borussia Mönchengladbach in the round of 16.
On 8 June 2022, his loan spell with Hannover 96 was extended for the 2022-23 season, with Hoffenheim simultaneously extending his contract until 30 June 2025 to ensure continued playing time. In the 2022-23 season, Beier made 33 appearances and scored 7 goals for Hannover.
3.3. Borussia Dortmund
On 12 August 2024, Beier completed a permanent transfer to fellow Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund, signing a five-year contract. He made his debut for Borussia Dortmund in the DFB-Pokal on 17 August 2024.
4. International career
Maximilian Beier has represented Germany at various youth levels and has since progressed to the senior national team.
4.1. Youth teams
In 2019, Beier was selected for the Germany U-17 team to participate in the 2019 UEFA European Under-17 Championship held in Ireland. He played in all three group stage matches and scored a goal in the opening game against Italy. However, Germany was eliminated in the group stage of the tournament.
In September 2023, Beier received his first call-up to the Germany U-21 team. He made his debut in a friendly match against Ukraine, scoring a goal that contributed to the team's victory. He later served as captain in a match against Bulgaria and scored another goal against Estonia during the UEFA U-21 European Championship qualifiers, establishing himself as a key player for the team.
4.2. Senior team
In March 2024, Beier received his first call-up to the German senior national team by coach Julian Nagelsmann for friendly matches against France and the Netherlands. Although he did not feature in those games, he was subsequently named in Germany's squad for UEFA Euro 2024.
Beier made his senior international debut on 3 June 2024 in a friendly match against Ukraine prior to the tournament, coming on as a substitute for Jamal Musiala. During the match, he hit the post, narrowly missing a debut goal. At UEFA Euro 2024, he made one appearance, coming on as a substitute for Robert Andrich in the 65th minute of Germany's third group stage match against Switzerland. Germany reached the quarter-finals of the tournament.
5. Career statistics
5.1. Club
| Club | Season | League | DFB-Pokal | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| TSG Hoffenheim | 2019-20 | Bundesliga | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 6 | 0 | |
| 2020-21 | Bundesliga | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | - | 5 | 2 | ||
| 2023-24 | Bundesliga | 33 | 16 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 35 | 16 | |||
| Total | 42 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | - | 46 | 18 | |||
| TSG Hoffenheim II | 2020-21 | Regionalliga Südwest | 24 | 9 | - | - | - | 24 | 9 | |||
| 2021-22 | Regionalliga Südwest | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 25 | 10 | - | - | - | 25 | 10 | |||||
| Hannover 96 (loan) | 2021-22 | 2. Bundesliga | 30 | 3 | 3 | 4 | - | - | 33 | 7 | ||
| 2022-23 | 2. Bundesliga | 33 | 7 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 35 | 8 | |||
| Total | 63 | 10 | 5 | 5 | - | - | 68 | 15 | ||||
| Borussia Dortmund | 2024-25 | Bundesliga | 22 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 4 |
| Career total | 149 | 37 | 9 | 5 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 168 | 44 | ||
5.2. International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 2024 | 4 | 0 |
| Total | 4 | 0 | |
6. Honours
6.1. Individual
- Bundesliga Rookie of the Month: February 2024, March 2024