“SHOCK HORROR! West Ham GAVE AWAY Their Secret Weapon For £0… He’s Now Officially EUROPE’S NO.1 And Joining Declan Rice In The Ultimate Team Of The Year – Hammers Fans In TEARS!”
Bundesliga full-backs stole the spotlight, as Hoffenheim’s Vladimir Coufal shone—only for Borussia Dortmund’s Julian Ryerson to raise the bar even higher.
While Norway’s attacking stars often grab the headlines, Julian Ryerson has been quietly pivotal in Borussia Dortmund’s title charge.
The right-back delivered a remarkable four assists in a routine win over Mainz, setting up every goal as Niko Kovac’s side continue to chase Bayern Munich at the top of the Bundesliga.
It was also a productive weekend for Vladimir Coufal. The former West Ham defender registered two assists of his own, continuing a superb debut season in Germany with Hoffenheim.
Since leaving the London Stadium last summer after West Ham opted not to renew his contract, the Czech international has rediscovered top form.
Coufal made an immediate impression in Germany, even scoring from a free-kick against Bayern Munich—something he never achieved during five years in England.
Now on seven league assists, he needs just one more to make the 2025/26 campaign the most productive domestic season of his career.
According to WhoScored, the 33-year-old is currently the highest-rated right-back across Europe’s top five leagues and is projected to feature in the Team of the Season alongside names such as Bruno Fernandes, Lamine Yamal, Luis Diaz and Harry Kane.
His resurgence has surprised some in England. Former teammate Tomas Soucek reportedly felt West Ham were wrong to let him go, believing he still had plenty to offer.
Hoffenheim, however, had no doubts. Sporting director Andreas Schicker recently confirmed Coufal has signed a contract extension, praising his leadership, professionalism and influence on younger players.
Coufal’s latest assists came in a 3-0 victory over Freiburg, a result that keeps Hoffenheim third in the table and firmly in the race for Champions League qualification under Christian Ilzer.
The defender credits the demanding training regime in Germany for his improved fitness, describing himself as being in the best shape of his career and confident he can maintain this level for years to come.
