Youssoufa Moukoko on the World Cup, injuries, and his overall time at Borussia Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund and Germany striker Youssoufa Moukoko sat down with the Bundesliga for an interview where he touched upon topics such as the World Cup, his injury struggles and his overall time with Borussia Dortmund.

Youssoufa Moukoko’s name has been on the minds of many across Germany over the course the last few months. The Borussia Dortmund and Germany striker has been the center of attention due to his current contract, which is set to expire at the end of the season. This speculation seems to have cooled with the player signing an extension with BVB, putting any rumors of a possible departure to bed.

Moukoko sat down for an interview that was posted on the Bundesliga’s official website where he broached a number of topics. One of the main points discussed related to the young striker’s World Cup involvement. The player was in disbelief when he got the call up to go to Qatar and represent his country:

"“It was surprising, [yes]. I received the call one evening from the coach, Hansi Flick. He said I’m in!. I said cool! I couldn’t hide it from my friends. The next day it was already on TV. I saw my name. That was my highlight of 2022.“"

While there may have been some surprise for Moukoko, the player himself is no stranger to making waves in football. Moukoko and Dortmund took advantage of a rule change by the DFL in 2020 that allowed Moukoko to become the youngest player in Bundesliga history at the age of 16. Moukoko’s stellar performances and impressive goal haul at youth level prompted Dortmund to put their trust in the player, following a long tradition of being a stage for young talents to shine on.

Despite this, Moukoko’s transition to senior football hasn’t been as easy as the player would have hoped. He imagined a quicker start to life in the Bundesliga but the transition was not one to one. The injuries in particular proved to be frustrating for the young striker, but he looks at them as a character building experience:

"“At the beginning it was difficult to accept but then it became clear that injuries happen. In the youth academies, I was never injured too badly. I worked on myself and learned a lot about playing less time due to injuries. I’m happy that I went through that because it shows how strong you can be as a player or as a person.”"

Having overcome his injury issues, Moukoko has become one of Borussia Dortmund’s most crucial players, particularly in light of Sébastien Haller’s cancer diagnosis in August. Moukoko has lived up to the challenge and scored some important goals for Die Schwarzgelben this season, including goals in the Revierderby as well as BVB’s first goal in their clash against Bayern Munich in October.  Both goals were very emotional for Moukoko, with the player immortalizing them with photos in his home:

"“When it [the goal] went in, I thought to myself ‘we can turn the game around.’ The fans were there then. The stadium was again completely crazy. I also have a photo of that at home. Of that goal and of the Schalke goal as a memory.”"

Youssoufa Moukoko’s attachment to the highlights he has had with Borussia Dortmund is very evident, with the player very much valuing his experiences here to date. One can hope that with this contract extension, BVB and Moukoko can build a partnership that beckons in more moments of joint success and silverware charges; silverware charges that will feel all the more special if they are led by an academy product such as Moukoko.