FC Augsburg defender Noahkai Banks, who holds both German and U.S. citizenship, has yet to choose which country he will represent internationally. However, several German media outlets reported that he will not participate in the U.S. national team’s camp.
The 19-year-old Banks, a native of Hawaii, is in his second season with Augsburg and has one goal in 21 appearances.
“Noahkai hasn’t made a decision yet and wants to make the right decision for himself and his career, he is still undecided,” according to a source close to the situation.
Banks, the son of a German mother and an American father, returned to Germany with his family when he was seven weeks old, according to his mother, Nadine. He has lived in Germany ever since and joined Augsburg at age eight.
Banks represented the U.S. at the 2023 FIFA U17 World Cup and participated in a training camp with the USMNT last September. However, he did not play against Japan or South Korea in friendly matches.
Ahead of the World Cup this summer, the U.S. is scheduled to face Belgium on March 28 and Portugal on March 31. With the opening games of the World Cup less than three months away, it doesn’t appear that Banks will be on the U.S. squad. He reportedly has a foot injury that prevented him from playing in Saturday’s 2-0 loss to Borussia Dortmund.
Banks remains friends with some of his U17 teammates and enjoyed his time with the U.S. program, according to an ESPN interview last month, but he said in that interview that Germany has reached out to him as well. He stated he would not rush to make a decision and would not base his choice on just one tournament.
If Banks opts to play for Germany at the senior level, FIFA rules allow a one-time switch.
–Field Level Media
