Tom Trybull (born 9 March 1993) is a German professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder. A technically sound and combative midfielder, he has played across Germany, the Netherlands, England, and Denmark, and is known for his positional intelligence, tackling ability, and composure in possession. Trybull came through the youth academies of Union Berlin and Hansa Rostock, where he won the 2010 German Youth Championship, before making his professional debut as a teenager.
He rose to the Bundesliga with Werder Bremen, where he scored his first top-flight goal in the Nordderby against Hamburger SV. After inconsistent spells with St. Pauli and Greuther Fürth, his career regained momentum at ADO Den Haag in the Eredivisie. A successful season in the Netherlands led to a move to Norwich City in 2017, where he became a fan favourite and helped the club win the EFL Championship title in 2018–19. His time in England included spells with Blackburn Rovers and Blackpool, as well as a brief return to German football with Hannover 96 and SV Sandhausen. Trybull joined Danish club OB in 2023 and re-signed with the club in 2024, helping them gain promotion back to the Danish Superliga.
At international level, Trybull represented Germany at four youth levels, earning nine caps from under-17 to under-20. Though widely regarded as a promising talent in his early years, he never received a call-up to the senior national team.
Club career Early years Born in Berlin, Trybull came up through local youth teams—starting at FC Berlin and SV Lichtenberg 47, then joining the academy of 1. FC Union Berlin. Despite being only 15, he was fast-tracked to Union's under-17 squad in early 2008 due to his talent.
Hansa Rostock Youth career In the summer of 2008, Trybull was signed by Hansa Rostock, which had identified him as a standout youth prospect. He immediately became a regular for Hansa's under-17 side in the 2008–09 Under 17 Bundesliga, making 25 appearances that season. By the winter of 2009–10, while still a youth player, Trybull was training with Rostock's under-19 squad under coach Michael Hartmann. He broke into the U19 team in 2010 and helped them top their division, ultimately winning the 2010 German Youth Championship – Hansa's first national youth title since reunification – by playing in the semifinal and final of the competition.
First-team breakthrough During the 2010–11 season, Hansa Rostock competed in the 3. Liga following relegation from the second tier of German football. At the start of the campaign, Trybull, having recently turned 17, was promoted to the club's under-19 side. Despite his youth, a succession of injuries to key first-team defenders—including regulars Matthias Holst and Stephan Gusche—prompted manager Peter Vollmann to draft Trybull and fellow teenager Pelle Jensen into the senior squad.
Trybull made his professional debut on 23 October 2010, appearing as a late substitute in a 2–2 league draw against Dynamo Dresden. Over the remainder of the campaign, he balanced appearances for both the youth and senior teams, gradually gaining experience at senior level. In December 2010, still aged 17, Trybull chose to leave formal education—then in the 11th grade at a specialist sports-focused gymnasium in Rostock-Evershagen—in order to concentrate fully on his football development.
By the close of the season, he had made 18 league appearances as Hansa Rostock secured a second-place finish in the 3. Liga, achieving promotion to the 2. Bundesliga at the first attempt. In addition to league success, he also featured in the club's run to the semifinals of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Cup, a regional competition which Rostock ultimately won.
Werder Bremen In June 2011, Trybull signed a three-year contract with Bundesliga club Werder Bremen, set to run until 2014. The transfer terms remained undisclosed, though it included midfielder Timo Perthel moving to Hansa Rostock as part of the arrangement. Trybull became the second youth international to join Bremen from Hansa within a year, following the arrival of Felix Kroos.
Initially, the 18-year-old was assigned to Werder Bremen II, the club's reserve side competing in the 3. Liga under coach Thomas Wolter. He made 18 league appearances during the first half of the 2011–12 season while also training with the first team, then managed by Thomas Schaaf. Trybull was handed his Bundesliga debut on 21 January 2012, starting in an away fixture against 1. FC Kaiserslautern. Less than a month later, on 18 February, he scored his first top-flight goal in a 3–1 Nordderby victory over Hamburger SV. Following his promotion to the senior side, he ceased appearing for the reserves—who were later relegated to the Regionalliga—and featured regularly in the Bundesliga through the second half of the campaign. He concluded his debut top-flight season with 15 appearances, helping Werder Bremen secure a ninth-place finish.
The 2012–13 season proved more challenging. A combination of injuries and inconsistent form restricted Trybull's involvement in the first team, limiting him to just four Bundesliga appearances. To maintain match fitness, he also played in six Regionalliga fixtures for Werder Bremen II, who were unsuccessful in their bid for promotion.
With the arrival of head coach Robin Dutt in 2013, Trybull's role diminished further. During the first half of the 2013–14 season, he was limited to two brief substitute appearances in the Bundesliga. In search of regular playing time, he opted to leave during the winter transfer window. Although Werder Bremen offered a contract extension and proposed a loan move, Trybull declined, stating a preference for a permanent transfer in order to fully commit to a new club. Reflecting on the decision in 2019, he expressed some regret, acknowledging that frustration had influenced his departure: "I wasn't well advised and wouldn't do it the same way again," he admitted. By the time he left Bremen, Trybull had made 21 Bundesliga appearances and scored once.
FC St. Pauli
In January 2014, Trybull joined FC St. Pauli, signing a contract through to the summer of 2017. The move to the 2. Bundesliga side was intended as a fresh start following limited opportunities at Werder Bremen. Upon arrival, Trybull expressed optimism, citing the club's attacking style of play and its reputation as a platform for career revival—highlighting former teammate Max Kruse's time at St. Pauli as a point of inspiration.
Despite his initial enthusiasm, Trybull found it difficult to establish himself as a regular in the first team. Over the course of the 2014–15 season, he made 15 league appearances for the senior side, while also turning out 17 times for FC St. Pauli II in the Regionalliga. His tenure was marked by limited playing opportunities and reported tensions with the coaching staff. Under manager Roland Vrabec, he was increasingly sidelined, and the arrival of Thomas Meggle did not improve his prospects. Media reports at the time suggested that off-field issues—ranging from disagreements over personal conduct to perceptions of arrogance—contributed to his marginalisation. Trybull later acknowledged that matters unrelated to football, including his personal presentation, had become distractions during this period.
At the end of the 2014–15 season, Trybull departed the club by mutual agreement, despite having signed a three-and-a-half-year deal. Reflecting on his time at St. Pauli, he described it as one of the most difficult spells of his career, noting a loss of confidence and the challenges of performing amid off-field tensions.
Greuther Fürth On 14 June 2015, Trybull joined 2. Bundesliga club Greuther Fürth, signing a three-year contract. The move to Fürth was intended to give him a clean slate, but it ultimately did little to revive his career at that time. Trybull did not make any first-team appearances for Greuther Fürth. Instead, he found himself playing primarily for Fürth's reserve team in the fourth-tier Regionalliga Bayern, where he made 18 appearances and scored one goal. The circumstances at Fürth were unfavourable from the start: the club's president had signed Trybull before appointing a new manager, and when coach Stefan Ruthenbeck arrived, he brought in his own preferred midfielders and had no role for Trybull. As a result, Trybull was confined to the reserves and could not break into the senior squad. "Eventually your self-confidence takes a hit – that's only natural," he admitted of this stagnant phase.
After one season in Fürth, Trybull's contract was effectively cut short. In 2016, recognising that his career had stalled in Germany, he sought an opportunity abroad.
ADO Den Haag On 29 July 2016, Trybull signed a one-year contract with Eredivisie club ADO Den Haag ahead of the 2016–17 season. Encouraged by his then-partner (later wife), Anna, to pursue the opportunity abroad, Trybull later described the move as a "rebirth" for his career. He quickly established himself as a regular starter in midfield, benefiting from consistent playing time at a top-flight level.
Over the course of the season, he made 23 league appearances and scored once. His lone goal came on 30 September 2016 in a 2–1 league defeat to PEC Zwolle.
His resurgence in the Netherlands attracted interest from clubs abroad. Following the expiration of his contract in 2017, Trybull opted to pursue a new challenge in England—a decision he later described as "the best thing I could have done."
Norwich City Trybull moved to English club Norwich City in August 2017 following a successful trial, signing an initial one-year contract with the Championship side. At Carrow Road, he joined fellow German Daniel Farke, Norwich's head coach, and sporting director Stuart Webber—both instrumental in building a squad centered around players with Bundesliga experience who were seen as having untapped potential. Trybull fit this profile and soon established himself as a key member of the team.
He made his debut on 22 August 2017 in an EFL Cup tie against Charlton Athletic, marking the occasion by scoring a goal in a 4–1 victory. His league debut followed shortly after, and on 1 January 2018 he scored his first Championship goal in a 2–1 win over Millwall. Initially brought in on a short-term basis, Trybull's performances earned him an extended contract through to June 2022, with an option for an additional year.
Trybull quickly became a fan favourite. Supporters dubbed him "Super Tommy Trybull" and created a terrace chant in his honour, set to the tune of Earth, Wind & Fire's song "September", referring to him as a "midfield maestro" who "never gives the ball away". he attention marked a turning point for Trybull, who only two years earlier had been playing in Germany's lower divisions. He later referred to the chant as an "acoustic accolade" that affirmed his emergence at a higher level.
Trybull was a key contributor during Norwich City's 2018–19 season, which proved to be a triumph. He made 31 league appearances in midfield as Norwich won the Championship title and earned promotion to the Premier League after a three-year absence. His ball-winning abilities and positional sense provided balance to Norwich's attacking style, and he was considered a core member of the side.
In the Premier League, Trybull found playing time harder to come by. He appeared 16 times in the 2019–20 top-flight campaign, as Norwich City fought against relegation. The club ultimately finished at the bottom of the table and was relegated after just one season. Despite some solid individual displays, Trybull was unable to cement a consistent starting role at the top level.