Noahkai Banks: USMNT prospect on dream of playing for Barca and potential Germany switch

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Noahkai Banks has been a rising star for Bundesliga side FC Augsburg this season. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to a German mother and an American father, Banks spent time in Washington, D.C., before moving back to Germany with his mother. “But I travelled back to the United States many times to visit my dad and his family.” His father still lives over there and serves in the US military. As a result, Banks has represented the United States at the youth level from the U17 onwards. But he is also still eligible for Germany, and the DFB has recently made a push to stem the flow of dual nationals to commit to other countries.

“I’ve been in touch with Germany before, to be honest,” Banks said when asked whether Julian Nagelsmann has been in touch. The DFB feels strongly about recruiting dual nationals, as the football federation spends significant money on youth teams that have facilitated the footballing education of players like Banks. What about representing Germany? “I was always very happy with the US. You can’t tell what will happen in the future. But at the moment, there’s no thought of switching or something like this, because I’m happy with the US. Still, you can’t tell what happens in the future.” That certainly leaves the door open for Germany to make a move for one of the most talented young up and coming defender in the German first division.

It sounds like the DFB would have to make a pretty compelling argument to convince Banks to switch allegiances. The United States, in the meantime, would certainly be happy to keep Banks committed to the United States. After all, the 19-year-old is the second most valuable center-back eligibile to represent the USMNT behind only Chris Richards (overview). “I have to say, I was always very happy with the US, because I got invited to the U17 level, and I have many friends there,” Banks said. “I am always happy to get to camp and see my friends there. I played the U17 World Cup, which was incredible, one of the best experiences in my life. Going to the national team is like meeting my friends and playing football with them.”

Banks on the World Cup: “Not the right moment” to think about it – Focus on Augsburg

Could getting to the 2026 World Cup open the door for either Germany or the United States to cement their claim on the up-and-coming defender? “As I said many times, I think it’s not the right moment to think about the World Cup for me, because we have so many games and goals for the season,” Banks said when confronted with the question of whether he is thinking about the tournament. “I really just focus on the games that we have here. Then let’s see what happens in the summer. But it isn’t my main focus at the moment. My main focus is to finish the season strong with Augsburg.”

For Banks personally, it has been a great season. Only 19, Banks is a regular starter for Augsburg, even as the club is battling relegation. Indeed, the way the Bundesliga looks, from 17th-placed St. Pauli, there is only a six-point gap to 10th-placed 1. FC Köln. Augsburg are right in the middle of the pack in 13th place. Despite that, Banks has been playing. “It has been a great year so far,” Banks said. “Because I didn’t expect to play this much, to be absolutely honest with you. The coaches have given me so much trust and so many minutes. I got so much more confidence playing with the team, my teammates, and the tactics.”

Playing all those minutes has also given Banks the confidence that his team can prevail in the relegation fight. “I think we as a team, we don’t see that stress because we know what we are capable of, and if we play well, we will get the points,” Banks said. “In the Bundesliga, it’s not easy to get the points. You can see it with every team. The big teams also have problems and struggle. Every game is a fight, and we are going to fight to get as many points as possible no to be in a good position at the end of the season. That’s basically it.” What about his long-term future? “It’s difficult to say,” Banks said. “I really enjoy playing in the Bundesliga, to be honest. But there are many good leagues. The Premier League is great; the Serie A is great. Also, LaLiga is a great league. The club that I grew up idolizing was Barcelona. That’s my favorite club, and it would be a dream of mine to play for them. But let’s see what happens.”