AUGSBURG, Germany — Cole Campbell, an American forward, made his debut for Borussia Dortmund during a Bundesliga match against Augsburg, where Dortmund unfortunately lost 2-1 on Saturday.
The 18-year-old player entered the field as a late substitute in the 88th minute, replacing Donyell Malen in an effort to help Dortmund equalize the score.
Since joining Dortmund in 2022, Campbell had primarily played for the club’s youth teams and the reserve squad that competes in the German third division before making his first team appearance this weekend.
Earlier this year, FIFA approved Campbell’s request to switch his national team allegiance from Iceland to the United States. Shortly after, he scored two goals on his debut for the U.S. U-19 team, contributing to a 3-2 victory over England.
Campbell is the son of Rakel Karvelsson, a former Icelandic women’s national team forward, who was born in Los Angeles and played collegiate soccer at the University of North Carolina. His father is American, emphasizing Campbell’s diverse sporting background.
He joins the ranks of other notable U.S. players who have emerged from Dortmund’s development program, including Christian Pulisic, who currently plays for AC Milan, and Gio Reyna.