Wolfsburg’s Muhammed Damar eager to make the most of Germany U21 recall

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Muhammed Damar is back in the German U21 national team after almost a year away. The 22-year-old attacking midfielder’s return comes at an important juncture in a career that has experienced both significant promise and frustrating setbacks over the past two seasons.

Speaking at Tuesday’s DFB U21 press conference, attended remotely by Get German Football News, Damar expressed his delight at rejoining Antonio Di Salvo’s squad ahead of the upcoming internationals against Belgium and Croatia. Damar spoke warmly of the welcome he received from his teammates and the continued support of Di Salvo throughout his absence.

The midfielder’s resurgence at VfL Wolfsburg has provided the foundation for his international comeback. Four goals and one assist across his last six league appearances have helped restore the attacking midfielder’s reputation following an extraordinarily difficult year at Hoffenheim.

From Elversberg breakthrough to Hoffenheim frustration

Damar’s career has already taken several turns. The Berlin native joined Hoffenheim from Eintracht Frankfurt’s youth setup in 2022. After an unsuccessful loan spell at Hannover 96, he truly announced himself during the 2024/25 campaign at SV Elversberg.

Damar scored nine goals in 31 league appearances for the Saarland club, helping Elversberg reach the Bundesliga promotion play-off. His performances attracted considerable attention from top-flight clubs, including Borussia Dortmund and Stuttgart.

Hoffenheim responded by extending his contract until 2029, with Damar viewed as a potential successor to Bayern Munich-bound midfielder Tom Bischof. The anticipated breakthrough in Sinsheim never materialized.

As GGFN examined during the most recent summer transfer window, Damar struggled to establish himself amid fierce competition in Hoffenheim’s attacking ranks. Andrej Kramaric and Bazoumana Touré stood in his way, leaving the youngster with only two starts across 15 Bundesliga appearances last season.

For a player whose development had accelerated so impressively at Elversberg, the lack of regular football represented a considerable setback.

Wolfsburg move restores confidence and momentum

Damar eventually opted for another opportunity in the 2. Bundesliga. Relegated Wolfsburg secured his services in July, signing the attacking midfielder to a contract through 2031. The decision has already begun paying dividends.

The 22-year-old has started ten of Wolfsburg’s first eleven league matches under head coach Tobias Strobl. Primarily operating in an advanced midfield role, Damar has also featured centrally when required. More importantly, the regular minutes have allowed him to rediscover the attacking qualities that made him such an intriguing prospect at Elversberg.

It wasn’t an immediate turnaround. Damar failed to register a goal or assist in Wolfsburg’s opening five league fixtures, but his fortunes began changing in September. The first breakthrough came in Wolfsburg’s emphatic 5-1 victory over Darmstadt on September 18. Damar converted a Joakim Mæhle assist in the 67th minute to put his team 4-1 ahead. The goal marked the beginning of a productive run that continued into October.

In Wolfsburg’s extraordinary 4-4 draw against Nürnberg on October 10, Damar doubled his team’s advantage with a well-placed long-range effort in the 29th minute. He attempted five shots during the match, placing three on target.

One week later, Damar again made a decisive contribution in Wolfsburg’s 3-1 victory over fellow Bundesliga relegation sufferers Heidenheim. With his team defending a narrow 2-1 lead, Damar latched onto a Fabian Reese layoff outside the penalty area and unleashed an effort that deflected into the net in the 65th minute.

The midfielder was particularly active in the encounter, recording six shots, four of which were on target. He also covered 12 kilometres, more than any other Wolfsburg player, and subsequently received the club’s Player of the Match award following a supporters’ vote.

Damar’s recent performances have not been limited to goalscoring. In Wolfsburg’s 1-1 draw at Bochum on October 23, he registered the assist for Reese’s opening goal, switching play from the right half-space to the left side of the penalty area. Reese finished with an impressive volley.

Five days later, Damar supplied another assist in the DFB-Pokal against SC Freiburg. His sharply delivered 43rd-minute corner found Kento Shiogai at the near post, allowing the Japanese international to head Wolfsburg into a 2-1 lead. The performance earned Damar a rating of six in GGFN‘s firsthand match assessment, although Freiburg eventually prevailed 3-2 following two late Keisuke Goto goals.

Damar returned to the scoresheet in Wolfsburg’s subsequent 2-0 league victory over Osnabrück. Once again combining effectively with Reese, the attacking midfielder met his teammate’s cutback and guided a technically accomplished right-footed finish into the bottom corner in the 50th minute.

Damar’s four league goals and one assist across his last six appearances, supplemented by a cup assist, reflect a player who is once again influencing matches through shooting, combination play, and set-piece delivery.

Crucially, he is doing so while receiving the consistent opportunities that proved so elusive at Hoffenheim.

Damar reveals Elversberg return was under consideration

Interestingly, Damar revealed at Tuesday’s press conference that a return to Elversberg had also been discussed before his Wolfsburg move. Responding to a question from Kicker’s Michael Pfeiffer, the midfielder confirmed that he remained in contact with current Elversberg coach Vincent Wagner, whom he knew from their time together at Hoffenheim.

“I know Vincent Wagner from Hoffenheim’s U23,” Damar explained. “Whenever I wasn’t playing with the first team, I went down to the U23s. We’ve maintained a very good relationship. We exchanged messages, but in the end I decided on Wolfsburg.”

He nevertheless retained considerable affection for his former loan club.

“Elversberg is an excellent place for young players,” Damar said. “You receive enormous trust from everyone there and can play football freely, without pressure.”

His assessment was echoed by fellow press conference attendee Maurice Krattenmacher, who joined Elversberg from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2026 and earned a late call-up to the U21s ahead of the current break. The 21-year-old highlighted the club’s willingness to invest in youngsters and provide opportunities even when their initial performances fall short of expectations.

“As a young player, you get your chance there,” Krattenmacher explained at the press conference. “And even if you don’t quite make the most of that chance, you get a second one. The team also welcomes you very well. I think it’s the combination of trust and good coaches that makes the difference.”

Di Salvo never lost faith in Muhammed Damar

There is another important dimension to Damar’s return. His previous international performances had provided compelling evidence of his potential even while his club career remained frustratingly stagnant. GGFN repeatedly highlighted the youngster during Germany’s 2025 U21 European Championship qualifying campaign.

Our September tactical assessment praised Damar’s strong second-half performance against Albania and his goal in the subsequent 5-0 victory over Latvia. The midfielder again featured among our six standout performers from the October international break.

Despite Germany’s 3-2 defeat against Greece, Damar impressed with his work rate, attacking involvement, and goal. His contribution against Northern Ireland offered further evidence of his value to Di Salvo’s squad.

By the end of the November 2025 internationals, Damar had scored three goals in six U21 appearances. GGFN‘s November tactical report again identified him as a standout performer.

GGFN | Peter Weis