Colin Kleine-Bekel
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 Kleine-Bekel in 2025 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Colin Noah Kleine-Bekel[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 24 January 2003 | ||
| Place of birth | Bielefeld, Germany | ||
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Centre-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team |
FC St. Gallen (on loan from VfL Bochum) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| VfR Wellensiek | |||
| –2015 | Arminia Bielefeld | ||
| 2015–2022 | Borussia Dortmund | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022–2024 | Holstein Kiel II | 34 | (0) |
| 2023–2025 | Holstein Kiel | 25 | (0) |
| 2025– | VfL Bochum | 1 | (0) |
| 2026– | → FC St. Gallen (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2018 | Germany U16 | 1 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | Germany U21 | 5 | (1) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 23 August 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 19:54, 22 March 2024 (UTC) | |||
Colin Noah Kleine-Bekel (born 24 January 2003) is a German professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Swiss club FC St. Gallen on loan from VfL Bochum.[1]
Kleine-Bekel was born in Bielefeld.[2] He was an important player and vice-captain of the Borussia Dortmund U19 team that won the Under 19 Bundesliga in the 2021–22 season.[3][2] He also made eight appearances in the UEFA Youth League.[2]
In summer 2022, Kleine-Bekel left Borussia Dortmund after spending seven years with the club, signing for 2. Bundesliga club Holstein Kiel.[2] At Holstein Kiel, he was assigned to the reserve team for the 2022–23 season during which he was an undisputed starter[2] and helped the side avoid relegation from the Regionalliga Nord.[4] He made his debut for the first team in May 2023, on the last day of the season, coming on as a substitute in the 80th minute of a 5–1 win against Hannover 96.[5]
Following strong performances in pre-season,[2] Kleine-Bekel was promoted to the first team for the 2023–24 season.[4] He made his starting debut in Holstein Kiel's first league match of the season, playing alongside Carl Johansson in a 1–0 win against Eintracht Braunschweig.[4] In March 2024, he suffered a cruciate ligament injury that ruled him out for the entire 2024–25 Bundesliga season following his club's promotion.[6]
On 30 May 2025, Kleine-Bekel signed a contract with VfL Bochum until 2028.[7] In January 2026, he joined FC St. Gallen on loan until the end of the season.[8]
Style of play
A left-footed centre-back,[4] Kleine-Bekel has been described as "tactically disciplined" and strong in duels on the ground and in the air.[2] His build-up play is focussed on minimising mistakes.[2]
