Youssoufa Moukoko: Who is the Borussia Dortmund and Germany teenaged striker?

Youssoufa Moukoko

Age: 18

Club: Borussia Dortmund

Position: Striker

Country: Germany (two caps)

Key stats

Born in Yaounde in November 2004, Moukoko spent the first 10 years of his life living with his grandparents in Cameroon's capital city before joining his father, a German citizen since the 1990s, in Hamburg in the summer of 2014.

The young Youssoufa soon started playing in the youth academy of local Kult club St Pauli and wasted little time in displaying his incredible goalscoring prowess. Over the course of two seasons, Moukoko plundered 23 goals in just 13 games for Die Kiezkicker's underage teams, and it wasn't long until Dortmund came calling.

Moukoko's been producing astronomical figures ever since. He first played with BVB's U17s aged 13, their U19s aged 14, and after a total of 127 goals and 26 assists in just 84 appearances in all competitions for BVB at youth level, was promoted to first-team training in January 2020, some 11 months before his 16th birthday. He scored 13 goals in four U19 games whilst waiting to be eligible for his full debut(s).

Further records were only a matter of time for Moukoko after the DFL reduced the age that a player could legally make his Bundesliga debut without special dispensation to 16. The day after his Sweet 16, the pocket-rocket forward duly became the league's youngest debutant when he replaced Erling Haaland in Dortmund's 5-2 thrashing of Hertha Berlin. Less than a month later, he wrote his name into the history books as the Bundesliga's youngest scorer with his effort against Union Berlin on Matchday 13 of 2019/20, making him - at 16 years and 28 days - almost a year younger than previous incumbent Florian Wirtz on his first goal. Between times, Moukoko's run-out against Zenit Saint Petersburg made him the UEFA Champions League's youngest player, aged 16 years and 19 days of age.

Moukoko finished his first half season with the pros on three goals from 14 appearances, only for various injury setbacks to check his progress the following year - though he still managed two goals and two assists in 16 top-flight outings. The 2022/23 campaign has delivered brighter days, with Haaland's departure and Sebastien Haller's cancer diagnosis opening the door to regular minutes under Edin Terzic. A 2022 World Cup call-up was just reward for his six goals and four assists across 14 Bundesliga appearances. And, yes, he notched further milestones along the way as the Bundesliga's youngest player to score in the Klassiker, the Revierderby, a brace and reach double figures for goals.

About the players 18

Youssoufa

Moukoko

Borussia Dortmund

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Moukoko had already represented Germany at youth level when Hansi Flick picked up the phone ahead of the winter World Cup. He was already playing for the U16s at 12, scoring three goals in four games before jumping the queue to the U20s inside three years. The BVB teen was on the U21 books 12 months later, and has since struck six times in five matches for Stefan Kuntz's side. He made his senior debut in a World Cup warm-up against Oman, becoming the four-time world champions' youngest debutant since the late Uwe Seeler in 1954, and fourth all told. A week later, he made history as the youngest Germany player to appear at a World Cup finals, aged 18 and three days, breaking the record held by Karl-Heinz Schnellinger (19 years and two months, 1958 World Cup).

Plays a bit like: Samuel Eto'o

Of the somewhat 16 million people born in Cameroon over the last quarter of a century, you can bet that many of them grew up idolising and wanting to be Samuel Eto'o. And no doubt Moukoko was among that group. There have been a number of contenders in recent years to be dubbed "the next Eto'o", but none have come close to emulating the man regarded as one of Africa's greatest ever footballers.

None of those, though, have shown such levels of talent as early as Moukoko. Not even Eto'o himself was as heralded as a teenager, having only been scouted by Real Madrid in France when he was 16 and failing to score in seven senior appearances for Los Blancos.

Yet the similarities between Moukoko and the Eto'o we all grew to know at Barcelona and Inter Milan are striking - and we're not just talking about their almost identical height, although the Dortmund youngster appears bulkier than the current president of the Cameroon FA did as a player. They are both out-and-out centre-forwards who you can always bank on when the ball is played into them, scoring the majority of their goals from inside the penalty area. But they are also far more than your typical fox in the box.

Moukoko also possesses a powerful shot - primarily with his stronger left foot but equally comfortable on his right - that he's unleashed from all distances when the chance has presented himself. However, he doesn't just lurk between the width of the posts. Like Eto'o in his prime, the Dortmund teenager likes to get down the channels - both running onto and driving with the ball - and has proven he can beat goalkeepers from narrow angles as well. In just 11 Bundesliga strikes to date, he has shown he's capable of scoring all types of goals, much like the Cameroonian idol he could very well soon emulate.

Did you know?

Youssoufa is not the only footballer in the family. Elder brother Borel, 22, is a left-back who most recently played in the Kosovan first tier with Ferizaj.

"If the talent runs in the family he should become an interesting footballer," his former coach Ralf vom Dorp at Essen told RevierSport.

It's a challenge Borel could be up to - kicking around against a young Youssoufa whilst growing up in Hamburg can't have been too easy a ride! "He's the wonder everyone thinks he is," the elder sibling explained with a smile.

What they're saying

"Youssoufa is quite simply developing really well. He's quick, lively and a good finisher." - Hansi Flick

"Youssoufa is doing exceptionally well. He's very confident and he's improved his game considerably. We're delighted that Youssoufa is injury free, that he's playing well, scoring goals and getting assists. We'll continue to accompany him along that path." - Edin Terzic

"Moukoko's much better than I was at his age. I've never seen such a good 15-year-old in my life. The advantage for him is that he's already playing for Dortmund at the age of 15. At his age, I was still playing for my home town of Bryne." - Erling Haaland

About the clubs Borussia Dortmund

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