Nico Schlotterbeck grew up in Baden-Württemberg and came through SC Freiburg’s academy. After a loan at Union Berlin in 2020/21, he returned to Freiburg and was one of the Bundesliga’s best defenders as the club finished sixth.
Borussia Dortmund signed him in 2022. He is a left-footed centre-back who carries the ball out of defence and plays long passes accurately, and he was one of Dortmund’s key players on the way to the 2024 Champions League final.
Schlotterbeck has been part of the Germany squad since 2022. His older brother Keven is also a Bundesliga defender.
Playing style
Schlotterbeck is a left-footed centre-back who plays with confidence and aggression. He likes to step out of the defensive line to win the ball before a forward can turn, and he is strong in aerial duels. His distribution is a key strength: he carries the ball into midfield and plays long, diagonal passes that switch the play or find runners in behind. That front-foot style occasionally leads to mistakes, but it also makes him one of the most influential defenders in the Bundesliga when Dortmund have the ball. He is a vocal presence and has grown into a leader in the dressing room.
International career
Schlotterbeck made his Germany debut in 2022 and travelled to the World Cup in Qatar later that year. He was part of the squad for Euro 2024 on home soil, where Germany reached the quarter-finals, and has remained part of the national team picture.
Career in numbers
Across 9 seasons of senior club football, beginning in 2018/19, Schlotterbeck has played 236 matches and scored 17 goals for 3 clubs. His most productive season in front of goal was 2025/26, when he scored 5 times in 37 games for Borussia Dortmund. His busiest campaign was 2023/24, with 48 appearances. So far in 2026/27 he has made 2 appearances for Borussia Dortmund. The full season-by-season record is in the Stats section of this profile.