Karim Adeyemi is in the spotlight after scoring his first hat-trick in Borussia Dortmund's dramatic 7-1 Champions League win over Celtic. The 22-year-old striker, long tipped as a promising but still maturing talent, is finally showing that he is ready to make his mark on world football. “I did my part. It took a while, I have to admit that not all of my first halves of the season were so convincing”, Adeyemi said after the match.
Borussia Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl praised the young striker's growth: “I see him acting with more determination and will.” And the numbers speak for themselves: in his last eight games, Adeyemi has been involved in ten goals, including five for the German U-21 national team against Israel and Estonia. This brilliant form represents a major breakthrough for the player, even if he will have to temporarily stop due to a muscle injury suffered against Celtic.
Despite the forced break, Adeyemi was in high spirits after Borussia Dortmund's second win in the 2024/25 Champions League group stage. After the match, the striker shared a funny detail with the crowd, attributing his stellar performance to a home-cooked meal: “It must be the broccoli my wife cooked the other day”, he joked, as he carried with him the ball signed by his teammates and the “Man of the Match” trophy.
With his hat-trick, Adeyemi became the first German player to score three goals in 45 minutes of a match Champions League since 2011, when Mario Gomez achieved the same feat with Bayern Munich against Napoli. The stunning performance has attracted the attention of major European clubs, with rumours suggesting Liverpool are interested, as they see him as a potential replacement for Mohamed Salah, who could leave Anfield next year. Despite the outside interest, Adeyemi seems focused on his development at Dortmund: “I know it takes more to get consistent, but I’ve learned a lot and I’m on the right track”, he has declared.
Article published on 3 October 2024 - 14:38
