Every so often, a new player will make the jump to the professional level and present as a potentially strong future option for the national team due to ability and club pedigree. However, there are precious few emerging talents who are able to vault into the public consciousness with a goal in their very first appearance in a top-division league. Montrell “Monty” Culbreath stepped into the spotlight and had a memorable debut in the Bundesliga by finding the back of the net to cap off a victory.
The 18-year-old Bayer Leverkusen winger is currently being pursued by both the United States and Germany and should continue to develop into a productive presence.
Born in Landstuhl, Germany, Culbreath played for local outfit SV Spesbach before moving to the FC Kaiserslautern academy, praised as “top in terms of humanity and down to earth” while leading his side to promotion and being named to a regional select team. He then joined the Bayer Leverkusen youth set-up on “a long-term contract” in the summer of 2023 and contributed an impressive 10 goals during his first season with the Under-17 group in the Bundesliga West. His run continued as “a big part” in the Under-19 squad that participated in the UEFA Youth League and finished second in the German A Junior Championship.
This season, Culbreath was included with the first team during the summer’s tour of Brazil and continued competing with the youth academy, picking up a pair of finishes in the UEFA Youth League. He was also added to the first team’s match-day squad and made the bench several times for the Champions League, DFB-Pokal, and the Bundesliga. Having “taken big steps forward in recent weeks in training,” his senior debut came against RB Leipzig in the final match before the winter break, entering proceedings in the 77th minute; the attacker added the insurance goal deep into stoppage time, forcing a turnover and firing his breakaway attempt “into the top-left corner [before] wheeling away with arms wide in celebration.”
Becoming the fourth-youngest Leverkusen player to score in the Bundesliga, Culbreath was understandably enthused. “That’s a big bonus that I was able to put a lid on it,” he said after the match. “The coaching staff, the bosses, the club – everyone has backed me. I’m really happy I’ve been able to give something back. It was incredible… I saw [teammate Christian Kofane] beside me and considered playing over to him. I just saw the goal and then shot. And it worked! I definitely don’t need any more Christmas presents. Today was the greatest present ever.”
According to Corriere dello Sport, his contract is expiring, but “negotiations for renewal have already begun.” With the erstwhile on-loan Claudio Echeverri back at Manchester City, Culbreath is expected to continue to get a chance to play and already training with the senior group. The club considers his progress to be “very important,” and teammates are publicly stating their hope for his further deployment.
At the international level, Culbreath is eligible for Germany and the United States. He competed with both programs in the Under-16 age group before jumping back to his birth nation in the Under-17 squad, featuring several times during qualifying for the UEFA European Under-17 Championship but missing the 2023 U-17 World Cup roster. His most recent duty came last fall with the Under-19 team, playing in European Under-19 Championship qualifiers and a series of friendlies.
Standing at five feet, eight inches tall, Culbreath is a dynamic right-side winger who can also deploy at attacking midfielder and fullback and boasts above-average athleticism, “explosive pace,” skill on the ball, and surprising aerial prowess in the box. He likes to run in behind the opposing back line and beat the first defender with a bevy of moves, taking as much time as necessary, but can also push the tempo by “charging toward goal” or drop back and dictate with accurate passing over the top. His versatile profile includes “the repertoire of a ten” and “the physical and technical structure reminiscent of Eden Hazard.”
“Culbreath stands out for his exceptional skill and creativity in wide areas,” reads a report on Scouting German Football. “He excels at drawing defenders in with sharp feints and sudden directional changes, making him unpredictable as he shifts both inside and outside of opponents. Even without the ball, Culbreath remains a significant threat—his ability to time off-the-ball runs perfectly allows him to exploit high opposition lines and wreak havoc in transition moments. His ability to create danger both with the ball at his feet and through well-timed off-ball movements consistently puts fullbacks in difficult situations where they are neither comfortable affording Culbreath space to receive, or space to exploit.”
There have been many players who enjoyed an auspicious start to their professional careers but failed to advance any further or add many more clips to their highlight reels. However, Culbreath is currently competing for and earning minutes at a club that has been operating at an elite level over the past few seasons, indicating that his chance of future success might be higher than most. Right now, his international commitment seems aligned with Germany, but the situation could change with time as priorities shift and different opportunities become available. He remains an interesting talent to monitor, with potentially many more finishes to come.
