Jan-Niklas Beste

Jan-Niklas Beste (born 4 January 1999) is a German professional footballer who plays as a left-back or winger for Primeira Liga club Benfica.

Club career
After joining Borussia Dortmund at the age of eight, Beste made his competitive debut for the senior squad on 12 August 2017 in a 2017–18 DFB-Pokal match-up against Rielasingen-Arlen. Despite appearing for the senior squad in pre-season friendlies that summer as well, he spent the rest of the 2017–18 season on the Under-19 squad.

On 4 July 2018, Beste moved to Werder Bremen, where he also was assigned to the reserves squad for the first season with them.

On 18 June 2019, he was loaned to FC Emmen in the Netherlands for the 2019–20 season. He made his Eredivisie debut for Emmen on 24 August 2019 in a game against Willem II.

In July 2020, he again left Werder Bremen for a loan spell, joining SSV Jahn Regensburg for two seasons.

On 15 June 2022, Beste signed a three-year contract with 1. FC Heidenheim. On 26 August 2023, he scored his club's first ever goal in the Bundesliga from a free-kick in a 3–2 home defeat against Hoffenheim.

On 11 July 2024, Beste signed a five-year contract with Primeira Liga club Benfica.

International career
Beste was a youth international footballer for Germany. In March 2024, he was called up for the German national team for the friendly matches against France and the Netherlands. However, he suffered an adductor strain during training which forced him to withdraw ahead of the aforementioned fixtures.