Has the wonderkid failed? Moukokos' road from debut to mediocrity

Carsten reported that Youssoufa Moukoko made his Bundesliga debut in November 2020 during Borussia Dortmund's 5-2 away win over Hertha BSC, being only 16 years and one day old at the time – a record that made him a wonderkid. Twelve years later, after an unsuccessful loan spell in France and a transfer to Copenhagen, he plays only sporadically and scores few goals.

The striker had previously scored 44 goals in 23 matches of the U19 Bundesliga West when he was just 15 years old. The term “wonderkid” has been almost exclusively associated with him this century.

He was in the squad of the German national team for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. In his first two professional seasons with Borussia Dortmund he netted five goals.

In the 2022/23 season he broke through with seven goals and four assists in 26 Bundesliga matches. Hansi Flick included him in the squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where the 17‑year‑old Moukoko was substituted on in the final minute of the opening match against Japan.

After the loan spell in France

In the 2023/24 season he played just over 600 minutes in the Bundesliga for Borussia Dortmund and scored five goals. In the summer of 2024 he was loaned to Nice.

In Ligue 1 he scored only two goals there, mostly used as a super‑sub. Due to the unsuccessful loan, Borussia Dortmund sold him in the summer of 2025 for €5.5 million to FC Copenhagen.

In the Danish Superliga he managed three goals. Moukoko has not lit up in Copenhagen.