The U.S. Under-23 Men's National Team heads to France for the Olympics, hoping to win a medal among 16 teams vying for glory. The 18-member squad is made up of a diverse roster of players from Major League Soccer and European clubs. The team has two over-age defenders, but Maximilian “Maxi” Dietz is expected to play a key role in the coming weeks after spending his first full season at the center of the storm with Greuther Fürth. The 22-year-old center back has the ability to make an impact on a bigger stage following a breakout season in German soccer's second tier.
Born in New York City, Dietz moved to Germany with his family and also played rugby as a youth player. Prior to joining Freiburg, Dietz played in the academies of SG Bornheim, Eintracht Frankfurt and FSV Frankfurt as a midfielder. He was promoted to the reserve level in December 2021 and played 12 minutes in a third-division match against 1. FC Saarbrücken. His second match was a five-minute support appearance against Hallescher FC towards the end of the schedule.
The following summer, Diez moved clubs, signing with SpVgg Greuther Fürth, whose reserve team competes in the fourth-tier Regionalliga Bayern. He was quickly made captain and made 21 appearances, providing two assists. The manager “recognized his talent and his personality.” After an invitation to winter training camp, he was close to making his first-team debut, first on the bench against second-tier Holstein Kiel, then playing five minutes in a 3–0 win over FC Magdeburg. He made three further appearances over the remainder of the schedule, including a start in the final game of the season, a 4–0 win over Darmstadt 98.
With his goal of earning first-team minutes and intent on continuing his development, the club has offered him a senior contract – a two-year deal with the option to extend for another season. “He deserves it,” said Managing Director of Sport Rachid Azouz. “Maxi has earned his chance, worked hard, presented himself well and integrated well into the team, which is why signing a professional contract in the summer is the natural next step for him.”
In his first full season as a professional, Dietz earned a place on the outside of a three-man backline as the club made a push to use younger players. He started well in the rotation in the 2. Bundesliga, making 32 appearances (missing the final game with a muscle injury) and establishing himself as an integral part of the team as Greuther Fürth finished the season in eighth place. Dietz's performances were rewarded with a new contract extension until 2027, with management praising his development and fit into the overall mix.
“Maxi's development is really impressive,” said Greuther Fürth coach Alexander Zollniger. “He has an immense desire to learn and absorbs all information. Although he is still very young, he already has a sense of responsibility and is always looking to get his teammates involved. Maxi will be a great help to the team with his flexible playing style. I am sure that playing together will make him an even more complete defender.”
At the international level, Dietz is eligible to represent Germany and the United States and has been called up to the U.S. national team at youth levels, starting with the U-17 team at the Four Nations Tournament in the Netherlands. The midfielder was included on the roster for the 2019 U-17 World Cup but remained on the bench for all three group stage matches. Over the past year, he has been a regular on the U-23 team and has been selected to the roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“The Olympics are not seen in football in the same way as the European Championships or the World Cup, but they are the biggest sporting event among all other sports and they are important in football,” Dietz told the official Greuther Fürth website. “I'm looking forward to every moment, every minute that I'm on the pitch and I'm grateful that it's possible. I'm just looking forward to the tournament.”
Standing at 6'2″, Dietz primarily plays as a center back but can also play in a defensive midfielder or holding midfielder role. Scouts have praised his “excellent defensive range, passing vision, long-range passing accuracy and quick feet in defence” and he has the potential to develop into an impact player in a position of need for the USMNT. He emerged as one of the 2. Bundesliga's top tacklers last season, making more than four tackles per game in a five-man backline.
I watched Maximilian Dietz's performance last weekend in the double bandy against Holstein Kiel.
I think it's time to start paying attention to this youngster. I did a little research and I see he is the second-youngest starting centre-back in the league, with Furth second in the league. pic.twitter.com/qsKvHfLWuS
— Marcus Chaielles (@chai_asc) January 31, 2024
“He has a certain consistency in one-on-one situations. [and] “He's got good physical aggression,” Solniger said. “He's a good talker, he's good at building up, and he's obviously going to try to create space at center back for a position that didn't exist last year. [in order] To get him involved in this.”
After struggling at reserve level for a few years, Diez has been promoted to the first team and established himself as a key player in the 2nd Bundesliga division. At 22 years old, this is a key milestone in his career and could determine whether he has reached his limit or has greater potential. His performances at club and international level have also earned him the honour of representing his country at the Olympic Games, the culmination of a long development process for the defender. Further success could lead to a move to a bigger league and even a place on the medal podium.
