Damion Downs

Club career

1. FC Köln Downs is a youth product of 1. FC Schweinfurt 05 and FC Ingolstadt. On September 28, 2020, he joined the youth academy of 1. FC Köln. He was promoted to 1. FC Köln II in 2023, and signed his first professional contract with the club on May 2, 2023 until 2026. On September 23, 2023, he debuted with the senior Köln team as a late substitute in a 2–1 Bundesliga loss to Werder Bremen.

Downs scored his first career Bundesliga goal on March 9, 2024 against Borussia Mönchengladbach. On May 11, 2024, he scored the match-winner in stoppage time against Union Berlin. Downs finished the season with two Bundesliga goals in just 173 minutes played, receiving limited opportunities in his club's relegation.

In the 2024–25 1. FC Köln season in the 2. Bundesliga, Downs helped Köln to the league title and automatic promotion to the Bundesliga. He had 11 goals and six assists in just 1,964 minutes played across all competitions, including a goal and assist against Bayer Leverkusen in the 2024–25 DFB-Pokal quarterfinals. Downs finished the season tied for the lead in goalscoring for his club.

Southampton On July 9, 2025, Downs joined Southampton on a four-year contract. He made his debut on August 9, in a 2–1 victory against Wrexham. On January 7, 2026, Downs joined Hamburger SV on loan for the remainder of the 2025–26 season.

On September 2, 2026, Downs joined St. Louis City SC on loan until the end of the 2027 MLS season.

International career Downs holds dual citizenship, having been born in Germany to an American father and German mother, and having been raised in both countries. In April 2022, he was called up to a training camp for the United States U20s in Carson, California. In May 2022, he was named to the United States U20 provisional roster for the 2022 CONCACAF U-20 Championship but did not make the final squad. In September 2022, he was put on standby for the Germany U19s for 2023 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification but did not make the final squad.

Downs was called up to a training camp in June 2024 for the United States U23s in Kansas City, Kansas ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics but was not named to the final Olympics squad. He was called up to the Germany U20s for sets of friendlies in each of September, October, and November 2024.

On May 22, 2025, Downs was called up by United States national team coach Mauricio Pochettino for training camp in Chicago ahead of matches against Turkey and Switzerland. On June 5, 2025, Downs was named to the USMNT final roster for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

In the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinal match against Costa Rica, Downs scored the winning penalty in the shootout to send the United States to the semi-finals.

Career statistics Club

International

Honors 1. FC Koln 2. Bundesliga: 2024–25