Cologne’s Jannes Horn celebrates at the end of a German Bundesliga match against Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020, in Dortmund, Germany.
Behind his right ear, ºüÀêÊÓƵ City SC left back Jannes Horn has two very small tattoos, one right above the other. On top is the number 21, below it the number 23.
“Now I have to add 38,†he said.
Twenty-one and 23 were the uniform numbers he wore at previous stops in his career, but more recently, 38 has become his go-to number and the one he’ll wear with City SC. Three and eight are the first two numbers of the five-digit postal code for his hometown of Braunschweig, Germany. He has the first three numbers, 381, tattooed on his left arm, much like a ºüÀêÊÓƵan might embrace 314, as a point of pride for his hometown.
“But the number 381 is too big for the jersey,†he said.
Horn is proud of his hometown, a science and development hub in north central Germany near Hannover but which to many Americans evokes thoughts of sausage.
“I wouldn’t say small but not that big city in a Germany,†Horn said of his hometown, with a population about 250,000. “My family lives there. A lot of friends left there. So yeah, I’d love to be there. That’s the reason I put the number 38 on my back.â€
But for now, Horn is looking forward to a big adventure with a move to America to play in Major League Soccer for City SC. Horn is on loan to the team from his former club Nurnberg for a year, after which the club has an option to purchase his contract.
Horn could be the player City SC has needed for some time, an answer to its revolving door at left back. The team has tried Selmir Pidro, John Nelson, Kyle Hiebert, Anthony Markanich, Nikolas Dyhr and most recently Jayden Reid in that spot, and while some have shown promise, including Hiebert, a converted center back, and Reid, the regular starter there since the beginning of July, none have been able to take hold of the job and make it their own.
Enter Horn, who has the longest resume of any of the candidates, one that includes eight seasons in Germany in either the first or second division of the Bundesliga. He made his MLS debut on Saturday in Portland, coming off the bench in the 69th minute — which, considering the game had 16 minutes of stoppage time, gave him a bit more playing time than might have been expected for someone playing his first game since his last season ended in May back in Germany.
“It was nice,†he said. “It was nice because the stadium in Portland was also good. It was different for me because I never played on (artificial) turf. I think the last time, when I was 15, 16 years old, I trained on turf. But since then, never. The city was nice, and for me, the first half was good because we’re 3-1 in front, and then the second half is so deep. They shot so many times on our goal. That’s when we want to change this. We want to defend better.
“And that’s why I’m here. I want to help the team with my experience from the German leagues. I want to help the team. I want to bring in my left foot with some crosses, make some assists. And help the team with my mentality as well. That’s why I’m here.â€
One thing he didn’t waste any time doing was getting a yellow card, picking up his first for a late tackle 20 minutes after he entered the game. (Only Tomas Ostrak, who got one 17 minutes into his first game, has gotten one quicker in his MLS career for City SC.) Horn suspects it won’t be his last.
“I came a little bit too late, but that’s OK,†he said “Last year, I got nine yellow cards. So that’s my type of playing. I know it’s not that good, but I want to be aggressive. I want to be present. I know, better without a yellow card, but we’re playing soccer.â€
Horn’s acquisition didn’t get as much attention as it may have otherwise because it came the same day that City SC traded center back Tim Parker to New England. Horn played center back last season in Germany, but for most of his career, he’s been a left back, and that’s how City SC is looking at him.
“I think my biggest strength is my left foot,†he said. “I hope you will see it on Sunday.â€
Horn said while he had played his entire career in Germany, making his Bundesliga debut with Wolfsburg in 2016 and then moving to Koln, Hannover, Bochum and Nurnberg, he and his wife also had their eyes set on America. They also have a son about to turn 2 years old.
“We love to make adventures and it’s a big adventure, and in this league, in the stadium, in the city, I think it will be good,†he said. “To play in the MLS (in recent) years, it was a dream to play here because many more players from Europe come to America because the league is getting bigger and bigger. The teams are getting better and better. It’s so nice because the facilities and everything is so good, better than in Germany. My family is so happy to be here.â€
Horn has been here three weeks, but even in that brief time, he’s learned America is very different than Germany — and not just because it gets much hotter.
“Everything is different,†he said. “Where can I start? Everything, the streets are so much bigger, the parking spots, everywhere, so much bigger, and Germany is so close (together). Everything is different. But I like it.â€
City SC academy player joins US U-17 team
Lorenzo Cornelius, a midfielder in City SC’s under-18 academy, has been selected for the U.S. under-17 team for a tournament that starts Friday in the Czech Republic.
It’s the first training camp and competition for the U-17s leading up to next year’s CONCACAF championship and the U-17 World Cup in Qatar.
Cornelius, from St. Peters, started out with ºüÀêÊÓƵ Scott Gallagher club before joining the City SC academy. Cornelius was part of the City SC U-16 team that reached the semifinals of the 2024 MLS Next Cup.
