SSFC Spotlight: Noahkai Banks jumps into the Bundesliga

The emergence of a new talent on the scene is always cause for excitement among fans of the United States Men’s National Team, as blockbuster transfers are hypothesized and names get penciled into future lineups. As most are already aware, there is a young prospect who recently made his professional debut and continues to rack up Bundesliga appearances. Noahkai “Noki” Banks should be familiar to those who have been paying attention over the past month, as his breakout has continued unimpeded. The 18-year-old FC Augsburg defender is showing glimpses of a high ceiling in his limited experience.

Born in Honolulu, Hawaii to an American father and a German mother, Banks relocated with his family to Germany and competed in the youth ranks of TSV Dietmannsried, choosing the sport of soccer over handball. He then moved to FC Augsburg in order to join the under-10 group and rapidly ascended up the academy pyramid, playing with the under-17 team at the age of 14. His impressive run of form with the under-19 squad in the Bundesliga Süd/Südwest led to another promotion.

Despite being “naïve in the beginning,” Banks made his reserve team debut in March of last year, featuring for 90 minutes in a 1-0 loss to Schweinfurt 05. He picked up six total appearances in the fourth-tier Regionalliga Bayern along with scoring two goals in the 3-0 victories over TSV Buchbach and Eintracht Bamberg. In light of his growing profile, the club signed him to a three-year professional contract with two option years, praising his ability to “adapt quickly to a higher level” and believing in his approaching readiness for the first division.

This season, Banks started the campaign with the reserve team, featuring in 11 matches in the Regionalliga Bayern. However, he was included on the first-team bench for five different league and cup fixtures before making his first-team debut in a 1-0 loss to VfB Stuttgart, going 61 minutes as an early substitute – the pace of the game made sure that the defender “didn’t have much time to feel nervous.” His Bundesliga run has continued for six consecutive appearances, including back-to-back starts against Heidenheim and FC St. Pauli.

His performances garnered attention on both sides of the pond, notably for his ability to “bypass the first line of [opponents]” in order to advance possession. “I don’t put any pressure on myself,” Banks shared with German media. “I’ve been playing football since I was little and I’m confident in my abilities. And I try to read as little as possible about my achievements… [I dribble forward] more often now. There is no fixed trigger, it depends on the individual game situation. If we can bypass the first chain in this way, then we are happy to take the opportunity… I have developed and improved significantly. It was quite an adjustment for me in the professional team… [I have improved in] penalty area defense… I’ve also become more clever in my tackling.”

At the international level, Banks is eligible for the United States by birth and Germany through his heritage. Fulfilling a childhood dream “and feeling very comfortable there,” he began appearing with the former program in the under-17 age group and was included on the roster for the 2023 U-17 World Cup (after initially being named as an alternate); the defender started in the first and third group stage matches against South Korea and France, respectively, during the run to the Round of 16. His most recent experience came last year in friendlies with the under-19 and under-20 squads, but the emerging prospect declined a call to the 2024 CONCACAF U-20 Championship in order to “make the most of the full pre-season with Augsburg.”

Standing above six-foot-three with the expected aerial prowess, Banks (who also played a little fullback) boasts a “rangy frame” and is praised for “a real command of the defensive third married with some nifty footwork for a centre-back,” drawing comparisons to Eric Dier of Bayern Munich and Arsenal’s William Saliba. He is described as having a high ceiling and “profiles as an elite prospect” due to his “brutal class on the ball,” but his manager notes a need to “get used to the speed and the intensity” of the Bundesliga in his “timing and coordination.” His work in duels is “intelligent” with “clever,” hard tackles while also showing “no fear of playing a risky vertical pass” and providing progression with vertical and wide dribbling. Ryan Tolmich of Goal cites his “elite passing” at long range that mixes with his physical gifts to render him a “prototypical” modern defender.

“Banks demonstrates impressive agility for his size, allowing him to play effectively in open spaces,” reads an extensive scouting report on US Soccer Collective. “He possesses exceptional lateral quickness and nimble feet, enabling him to excel in one-on-one situations… He displays the touch, footwork, and close control typically associated with an effective box-to-box midfielder… His most lethal pass is a line-splitting, driven ground ball, which he can execute with pace and precision using either foot. He also possesses the ability to bend ground balls around midfielders to find overlapping full-backs or wingers… One of the most striking aspects of Banks’ game is his supreme confidence. He possesses the courage to break lines and play proactively, even under intense pressure.”

At 18 years old, Banks has a long way to go as his career progresses, although a senior international debut could come sooner rather than later. There is still time for the young defender to work his way into contention for the upcoming World Cup, but the window is closing quickly. He has the talent and potential to hit an even higher level with over a decade of time to reach his prime, a run that should include a significant tenure with the USMNT.