sportbible homepage
sportbible homepage
  • Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • World Cup
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Manchester United
    • Liverpool
    • Arsenal
    • Real Madrid
    • Barcelona
  • Formula 1
    • Red Bull
    • Ferrari
    • McLaren
    • Mercedes
    • Max Verstappen
    • Lewis Hamilton
    • Lando Norris
    • George Russell
    • Charles Leclerc
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • More Sport
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • NBA
    • NFL
    • Darts
    • Athletics
    • Rugby
    • Wrestling
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Archive
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Snapchat
TikTok
Threads
YouTube
Submit Your Content Here
  • LADbible
  • Tyla
  • GAMINGbible
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • FOODbible
  • UNILAD Tech
What happened to Youssoufa Moukoko: The Borussia Dortmund sensation who smashed sponsorship record

Home> Football> Football News

Published 06:30 7 Apr 2026 GMT+1

What happened to Youssoufa Moukoko: The Borussia Dortmund sensation who smashed sponsorship record

Youssoufa Moukoko was the youngest player to play in the Champions League until Arsenal's Max Dowman broke the record in December.

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover

Recommended reads

David Munyua and Peter Wachiuri interview: 'We wish for major PDC players to come and visit Kenya'Getty / Instagram/@wachiuridartsMark Selby lifts lid on backstage talks over Crucible as landmark agreement reachedGettyBarry Hearn sends message to Ronnie O'Sullivan over snooker future as Crucible prediction madeGettyTyson Fury explains why his 14-year-old son Prince has “no choice” but to become a boxerGetty

Advert

Choose your content:

Fans have been reminded of former wonderkid Youssoufa Moukoko's abilities after he scored a hat-trick over the weekend.

A few years back, Moukoko started generating some serious buzz as an exciting talent in the academy set-up at Borussia Dortmund.

He had joined from St Pauli, where he bagged 23 goals in 13 games for the club's Under 15's. Moukoko continued his red-hot form in the youth ranks at Dortmund, playing in the Under 17 side as a 13-year-old and then turning out for the Under 19 team when he was just a year older.

The youngest player to play and score in the UEFA Youth League, the Cameroon-born attacker bagged a ridiculous 141 goals in 88 games for those aforementioned Dortmund youth sides.

Advert

With his stock on the rise, big brands took notice of Moukoko and wanted a piece of the youngster. When he was just 14, Nike came calling and tied him down to a deal potentially worth €10 million (£8.7 million) and $1 million was paid upfront.

Just a day after his 16th birthday and Moukoko became the youngest player to play in the Bundesliga with a late substitute appearance in a win over Hertha Berlin.

Moukoko is the youngest player to play in the Bundesliga. Image: Getty
Moukoko is the youngest player to play in the Bundesliga. Image: Getty

He later became the youngest player in the Champions League, holding that record until Arsenal's Max Dowman came along in November 2025.

The youngest scorer and first teenager to reach ten goals in the Bundesliga, Moukoko also played at the World Cup for Germany in the 2022 World Cup.

He signed a new contract in 2023 but just over a year on, after his minutes dried up and following controversial comments from his representatives about sounding out interest from other clubs, he was loaned out to Nice in France for the 2024/25 season.

But after failing to find form in France and still deemed surplus to requirements at Dortmund, he left for Danish side FC Copenhagen in a £4.36 million switch in June 2025.

Though he had mixed emotions, Moukoko expressed excitement over the opportunity to "make a completely fresh start in a new location – with optimism and enormous ambition".

Moukoko is now plying his trade in Denmark. Image: Getty
Moukoko is now plying his trade in Denmark. Image: Getty

Not too much has been heard about how a player who once targeted a Ballon d'Or win has been getting on, but Moukoko is quietly rebuilding his career in Scandinavia.

He has hit 14 goals in 36 games in all competitions, including a hat-trick in a 7-0 thrashing of Silkeborg at the weekend.

The pressure of being a wonderkid and peaking so early is enormous but it is worth remembering that Martin Odegaard looked like he had fallen off a cliff after Real Madrid rejection but went on to resurrect at Arsenal, who he could captain to a first Premier League title since 2004.

Although it feels like he has been around forever, Moukoko is still only 21 and there is still time for him to rediscover his true potential after some difficult experiences.

Featured Image Credit: Getty

Topics: Borussia Dortmund

Josh Lawless
Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and WWE. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has covered two WrestleMania events for SPORTbible.

X

@joshlawless_

  • Wonderkid named as one of world's 50 hottest young footballing talents didn't even exist
  • Arsenal wonderkid Max Dowman is related to former England captain after surprise discovery
  • What happened to Ryo Miyaichi: the former Japanese wonderkid who ran 100m in 10.6 seconds
  • What happened to the 15 players tipped to be 'future England stars' by the Daily Mail
25 mins ago
an hour ago
3 hours ago
5 hours ago
  • Getty
    25 mins ago

    Liverpool prepared to complete outrageous swap deal with Real Madrid after PSG defeat

    Arne Slot's side fell to a 2-0 defeat in Paris on Wednesday.

    Football
  • Getty
    an hour ago

    James Maddison responds to viral video of his physical condition after 247 days out

    Maddison has been out of action since August with an ACL injury.

    Football
  • Getty
    3 hours ago

    Barcelona set to lodge official complaint to UEFA following hand ball vs Atletico Madrid

    Hansi Flick was not pleased with the officials as Barcelona fell to a 2-0 defeat against Atleti.

    Football
  • Getty
    5 hours ago

    Jamie Carragher calls out Liverpool star who 'makes a mistake every game' after PSG defeat

    The former Liverpool defender was not pleased with Arne Slot's side after their Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.

    Football