See you again in the Champions League
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When he was a teenager, Youssoufa Moukoko hardly dreamed of a future at FC Copenhagen. There was talk of the child prodigy and exceptional talent when the striker celebrated his highly acclaimed Bundesliga debut for Borussia Dortmund at the age of 16 years and one day. Moukoko? The otherwise often controversial industry was relatively in agreement that he would become a superstar with these systems.
Just as the premiere at Hertha BSC (5:2) in November 2020 was a special game for the attacker, so will the Champions League game on Tuesday (9 p.m./DAZN). Because: Moukoko, now 20, is facing BVB, which is now his former club because they sold the young professional, who was once celebrated as a talent of the century, to a football no-man’s land in the summer for a relatively small sum of 5 million euros. If you take the UEFA five-year rankings into account, the Danish Superliga is just about in the top 15.
In Copenhagen, Moukoko is about ending his time on the wrong track and getting his career back on track via the detour of Denmark. A carefully made decision. There were offers from the Bundesliga, “but I wanted out,” Moukoko revealed to the “Kicker“In the explosive duel with BVB, however, he is threatened with what he has known from Dortmund for years: a place on the bench. “I am my biggest critic. I know that this is not my level. I know that I will help this team,” said Moukoko.
Ex-BVB talent Moukoko has lost his regular place in Copenhagen
He recorded outstanding results as a young player in Dortmund. He scored 141 goals in a total of 88 U17 and U19 games. “The boarding school days were the best, I was very happy there. We had a great time with all the boys there. I will never forget that,” admitted Moukoko. For the professionals there were 18 goals in 99 games. But in recent years he never really got into the shark tank of professional football. Moukoko dealt with the many disappointments and sporting setbacks primarily through his faith. “Prayer makes me calmer and more patient.”
In Copenhagen he is at least used regularly under Jacob Neestrup – even if he lost his regular place in the last few weeks and is therefore expected to sit out on Tuesday. “Everyone probably expected me to go to Denmark and destroy the league, but I almost never played 90 minutes for two years,” explained Moukoko. “Then suddenly playing every three days is a challenge.” In 20 appearances he scored four goals and one assist.
At a young age, Moukoko was already seen as a future national player and a potential solution to the striker question that has been asked repeatedly in the DFB team since Miroslav Klose’s resignation in 2014. But Moukoko is currently struggling to find his place in the U21. Coach Antonio Di Salvo did not nominate him for the European Championships this summer, citing a lack of playing time.
Moukoko is by no means forgotten at the DFB almost three years after his World Cup debut as the youngest German player. “We have him on our list and are looking at his performance at the club,” said Di Salvo at the beginning of September after his decent start in Copenhagen. Moukoko “arrived at the club after a long time”. The loan year at OGC Nice last season, however, was forgettable. Although he hardly played at all in the second half of the season, it was still an important experience for Moukoko.
“Many people won’t understand when I say this, but Nice was the best thing that could have happened to me,” explained Moukoko looking back. “In Nice I learned to be patient, to control my emotions and not to point fingers at other people.” Things were different before. “In Dortmund it was always the coach’s fault when I didn’t play. In Nice I learned to blame myself before looking at others.” When he played, “I was bad, you have to say that,” Moukoko openly admitted.
He did additional training sessions. “At some point there were five or six of us because the others saw that he doesn’t play and works more than us.” The findings from France also help Moukoko in Copenhagen. “Before my own success, the most important thing is that we are successful as a team. But I will get out of there too, I know it,” he said, referring to his current bench position.
Moukoko knows it: BVB and the pressure for talent
Borussia Dortmund is always concerned with the topic of talent. Players like Jude Bellingham (22), Jadon Sancho (25) and Erling Haaland (25) matured into international stars at BVB. But the pressure and competition are great at the club, which claims the status of Germany’s number two behind FC Bayern.
Bellingham’s brother Jobe also got off to a difficult start in Dortmund. In the past few weeks, the 20-year-old Englishman has repeatedly sat on the bench under coach Niko Kovac – in the 1-2 defeat in Munich on Saturday, he came into the game after 73 minutes before making a mistake before conceding the second goal. While compatriot Harry Kane (32) offered consolation, the British tabloid wrote of a “horror mistake”.
It’s one of the big differences in the young generation at the moment. “In the professional world it’s not about humanity,” said Moukoko. “Success is the priority and everyone fights for their place.” He wasn’t really prepared for it. “My body wasn’t ready for the professional game yet,” admitted the attacker, who quickly became plagued by, among other things, recurring muscle injuries. In terms of market value, he is back where he started when he was 16: at 10 million euros.
In some moments, Moukoko may be grateful that he is not as exposed to the media scrutiny in Copenhagen as he once was as a child prodigy at BVB. “It won’t be attacked immediately,” he said. The Dortmund team is looking forward to seeing you again. “Youssoufa is of course always a part of the BVB family from the last few years. Of course we are following him. There will definitely be a big hello,” said sports director Sebastian Kehl before the flight to the Danish capital on Monday.
