Who is Paris Brunner? BVB 'bad boy' who fired Germany to U17 World Cup glory

Updated: 2 Dec 2023 14:26 GMT
4 min read

Paris Brunner, Borussia Dortmund, Germany — © ProShots

Paris Brunner caught the attention at the U17 World Cup in Indonesia, yet his participation at the tournament was somewhat in doubt.

The 17-year-old had been suspended by his club Borussia Dortmund for disciplinary reasons and was only pardoned mere days before the final Germany squad was announced. He ultimately did get on the plane to Indonesia and would fire Germany to their first-ever World Cup title at that level.

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But who is 'bad boy' Paris Brunner and how good is he really?

What position does Brunner play in?

Brunner is a versatile attacker who is most comfortable at centre-forward but who can also deputise on the wings.

#TuesdayMotivation à la Paris #Brunner ⚽️🎯💪#U17EURO | @DFB_Junioren | @BVB | #U17WM pic.twitter.com/B16Y3fkNjh
— UEFA.com DE (@UEFAcom_de) November 28, 2023

How good is Brunner?

A Dortmund boy, the youngster eventually ended up at the biggest club in the area after several detours, playing in the youth setups of local rivals Essen and Bochum before signing for BVB. Since his switch in 2020, he has gone from strength to strength, boasting an impressive scoring record that has earned him comparisons to famous Dortmund wonderkid Youssoufa Moukoko.

Earlier in the year, Brunner finished as joint-top scorer of the U17 Euros and duly received the most prestigious youth award in Germany in his age group, a gold Fritz Walter medal. In the U19 Bundesliga, the 17-year-old has found the net 10 times in eight games this term, also scoring once in the UEFA Youth League. He is a regular fixture in Dortmund first-team training but, in October 2023, he made negative headlines when he was suspended for disciplinary reasons. Last year, he had already received a slap on the wrist for arriving late to a game.

These two incidents earned him the nickname 'bad boy' from sensationalist paper BILD, but of course, that moniker is unfair - he is a teenager after all. Pardoned prior to the U17 World Cup, Brunner continued his outstanding form for Germany, scoring final goals, including a brace - and the winning penalty - as the Germans overcame Argentina in the semi-final to reach their first showpiece at that level in 38 years where they again met France.

The youngster also netted in the final as Germany won their first-ever U17 World Cup, though he did miss his penalty in the all-deciding shootout.

Paris Brunner 💯 pic.twitter.com/Soo17GtZ8a
— Spieltag Indonesia (@SpieltagIndo) November 24, 2023

What clubs are interested in Brunner?

Thus far, no clubs have been credited with a concrete interest in the 17-year-old which isn't all that surprising as Dortmund are very protective of their youngsters. They have managed to keep a hold of Youssoufa Moukoko for longer than most people would have expected and are intent on doing the same with Brunner.