Borussia Dortmund teenager Youssoufa Moukoko eligible to make senior debut in November

Highly rated Borussia Dortmund striker Youssoufa Moukoko will be eligible to make his debut in November after the DFL assembly approved the request to change the minimum age requirement.

Moukoko has been making waves, breaking records and scoring goals for fun for Borussia Dortmund’s youth teams over the last few years. This year, he has been playing for the U-19s, and already has 38 goals (including six hat-tricks) and ten assists to his name in just 28 appearances in all competitions.

He will no longer have to wait until August 2021 to make his first team debut for Borussia Dortmund, as the DFL assembly approved the decision to lower the age requirement to play in the Bundesliga from 17 to 16 on Tuesday. Moukoko, who turns 16 in November, will now be eligible to make his Bundesliga debut for the Black and Yellows later this year.

Borussia Dortmund had been leading calls to lower the age requirement. And Lars Ricken, who is the club’s head of youth development, said that he is very happy about the decision.

"“The decision could help the clubs immediately and directly, and also the young players in their development”, Ricken told Kicker. “The majority of clubs now want to give young, exceptionally talented players the opportunity to take the next step in their development in absolutely exceptional cases.”"

Moukoko, who has earned comparisons with Samuel Eto’o for his performances and his playing style, was due to start training with the first team squad before the coronavirus pandemic struck.

Nuri Sahin is currently the youngest player to appear in the Bundesliga, having made his Borussia Dortmund debut at the age of 16 years and 334 days in 2005. But Moukoko is now in line to break that record if he makes his senior debut next season.