Now 16, Moukoko could make history on Saturday (and on Tuesday)
If the name Youssoufa Moukoko means nothing to you at this moment in time, don’t worry; there’s a good chance it soon will.
The Cameroon-born teenager has been turning heads in the Borussia Dortmund youth ranks with his frankly ridiculous goals-to-game ratio for some time. Now turned 16, he has already represented Germany at U-20-level and, thanks to a rule change, is eligible to make his first team bow in the Bundesliga this weekend.
Moukoko has spent the past few months training with Dortmund’s first team in preparation for first team football, also managing 10 goals in three games for their U-19 side. Last season he posted 34 goals in 20 games, whereas the season before that he needed just 25 games to reach a tally of 46. Training alongside him has prompted Erling Haaland to recently admit that the youngster is better than he was at the same age.
Even so, 16, you might think, is a little young to be thrust into the action in one of Europe’s top leagues. Dortmund, however, clearly don’t seem to think it is beyond him. Despite his tender years, Moukoko was named in their Bundesliga squad in the summer. Should he be given the nod to feature for Dortmund in their game with Hertha Berlin on Saturday night, he will become the youngest player to play a professional football game in Germany.
Speaking ahead of the game, Dortmund boss Lucien Favre has given little away as to whether or not Moukoko will feature in his squad in Berlin – despite being available for selection for the first time.
“It has not been decided whether Youssoufa Moukoko will travel to Berlin,” he said. “He has fantastic potential; it’s fun to train with him.”
🎙 Lucien Favre:
“It has not yet been decided whether Youssoufa Moukoko will travel to Berlin. He has fantastic potential, it’s fun to train with him." pic.twitter.com/XRjbkElSie
— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) November 20, 2020
Should Moukoko miss out on Saturday, he may instead feature in the Champions League in midweek, where Dortmund face Club Brugge at home. An appearance in that game on Tuesday would see him become the youngest player in the competition’s history.
Dortmund go to Berlin in third place in the Bundesliga, their recent run of good form halted by a 3-2 defeat by Bayern Munich in their last outing before the international break.
