Ajax

Dortmund’s 17-year-old star Moukoko stakes World Cup claim with Germany | Andy Brassell

07-Nov-2022 10:50:58 | The Guardian

Youssoufa Moukoko has broken into BVB’s first team and clamour is growing for Hansi Flick to take him to Qatar

Time is ticking away and the World Cup is looming large. Not exactly the moment, you might think, for Germany or any of the other qualified sides to call up a debutant. This one, however, is different – young he may be, but callow he isn’t, and he is arriving at the forefront of Hansi Flick’s mind at the perfect moment. Like most of the runs he makes in the yellow of Borussia Dortmund as autumn turns to winter, it appears as if Youssoufa Moukoko has timed this just right.

There are many remarkable things about the 17-year-old striker, not least that he has had to be patient to arrive at this point at which he is one of the first names on Edin Terzic’s team sheet. Yet now, as not only his talent but how vital he is to Dortmund in the here and now becomes unquestionable, the stars are aligning for him.