Serhou Guirassy: Borussia Dortmund’s Lethal Goal Machine
Name: Serhou Yadaly Guirassy
Club: Borussia Dortmund
Nationality: Guinea
Position: Centre-Forward
Preferred Foot: Right
Height: 187 cm (6ft 2in)
Age: 29
In the high-octane world of football, few strikers have made as seismic an impact in recent years as Serhou Guirassy. Born on March 12, 1996, in Arles, France, to Guinean parents, Guirassy has evolved from a promising talent into one of the Bundesliga’s most prolific forwards.
Now 29, he spearheads Borussia Dortmund’s attack, bringing a blend of clinical finishing, physicality, and relentless work rate. His journey from France’s lower leagues to becoming the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League top scorer underscores his resilience and undeniable talent.
A Winding Path to Stardom
Guirassy’s career began humbly with stints at Montargis, Amilly, and Stade Lavallois in France. In July 2015, he joined Lille for around €1 million, signing a four-year deal. A move to 1. FC Köln followed in July 2016, but injuries, including meniscus surgery and muscular issues, limited his early impact.
Despite scoring his first Bundesliga goal against Bayer Leverkusen in October 2017 and netting in the Europa League against Arsenal and BATE Borisov, Köln’s relegation saw him loaned to Amiens in January 2019. Amiens later made the transfer permanent for €5-6 million, where Guirassy showcased his scoring prowess, notably with a stoppage-time equalizer in a 4-4 draw against Paris Saint-Germain in February 2020.
In August 2020, Guirassy signed a five-year deal with Rennes, scoring his first Champions League goal in a 1-1 draw against Krasnodar and netting a hat-trick in a 6-1 Ligue 1 win over Metz. Guirassy arrived back in Germany ahead of the 2022/23 season when he joined VFB Stuttgart on loan.
At the age of 26, he returned to German football having scored a modest 31 goals in 109 Ligue 1 matches with Lille, Amiens and Rennes. He had only reached double figures once in that time, scoring 10 for Amiens in the 2020/21 Ligue 1 season, but he bettered that immediately as he struck 11 times in 22 Bundesliga outings and also found the net in the relegation playoff win over Hamburg to end on 14 goals in 26 competitive appearances.
Stuttgart activated a permanent transfer in May 2023 for a fee of about 9m euros (£7.6m) and then his career really got going. He rewarded them with a record-breaking 2023/24 season, scoring 28 goals in 28 Bundesliga matches, surpassing Mario Gómez’s single-season club record. His 10 goals in the first five matches, including a hat-trick against Mainz, matched a record set by Robert Lewandowski.
In all competitions, he netted 30 goals in 30 games for Stuttgart, in an injury-hit campaign. He scored 28 Bundesliga goals in as many games, one every 79 minutes and only missed out on the Golden Boot to Harry Kane’s 36. Stuttgart finished second in the table behind Bayer Leverkusen.
Guirassy was unfortunate because without Kane, he would have won not only the German top-scorer award but also the European Golden Shoe, awarded to the leading scorer across Europe’s top leagues. Despite missing several games through injury, he played 2,211 minutes in the league (equivalent to 24.5 full games), the most in his career. It was at Stuttgart too that he became a senior international for Guinea, having represented France at youth level.
Manchester United and Newcastle United were among the English teams to be linked to him last summer. But he instead moved to Borussia Dortmund, who triggered a release clause to sign him for £14.7m, securing him until 2028. Another injury delayed his debut but he has been prolific since getting into the team and his impact was immediate, cementing his status as one of Europe’s elite strikers.
The Guinean international has established himself as a star striker in the Bundesliga. Serhou Guirassy is the attacking spearhead for Borussia Dortmund. While the Ruhr club didn’t claim any titles or shine in the Champions League, the Guinean forward still delivered a spectacular season.
Across 56 matches, he netted 44 goals and provided 6 assists. Notably, 13 of those came in the Champions League, in his debut season in Europe’s top competition, the most ever scored by an African player in a single campaign. He didn’t just finish as joint top scorer in the Champions League but also finish as the joint top scorer at the Club World Cup as he led Dortmund to the Quarter Finals with four goals.
A Clinical No. 9 with Flair
Guirassy’s 2024/25 season has been nothing short of spectacular. In the Bundesliga, he has continued his scoring spree, with standout performances including a four-goal haul in a 6-0 thrashing of Union Berlin on February 22, 2025, making him the third Dortmund player this century after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Erling Haaland to achieve such a feat. In the Champions League, he became the competition’s top scorer, netting 13 goals, including a hat-trick in a 3-1 quarter-final win over Barcelona and a brace against the same opponent earlier in the campaign.
The Guinean’s key stats reflect his dominance; in the 2024/25 Bundesliga, he averages 1.2 goals per 90 minutes, with an expected goals (xG) of 0.9 per match, placing him in the 95th percentile among forwards. His 68% shot accuracy and 103 minutes per goal in all competitions underline his efficiency and consistency. Guirassy’s physicality standing at 187cm allows him to win 60% of aerial duels, while his 0.3 assists per 90 minutes show his growing playmaking ability.
Tactical Role and Versatility
At Dortmund, Guirassy thrives as a traditional No. 9 in Edin Terzić’s 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 systems. His ability to hold up play, link with wingers like Karim Adeyemi or Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, and exploit spaces behind defenses makes him a complete forward. His heatmap shows frequent positioning in the penalty area, where he capitalizes on crosses and through balls.
Photo: Sofascore
Guirassy’s penalty-taking prowess was evident in their preseason friendly against Lille, reminding us how good he can be from spot kicks. Beyond scoring, Guirassy’s work rate off the ball is notable. He presses high, averaging 2.1 tackles per match, and his 82kg frame helps him shield the ball effectively.
His versatility allows him to drop deeper to facilitate attacks, as seen in his chemistry with Dortmund’s attacking midfielders like Julian Brandt. The perfect balance between creativity and offensive efficiency. He is a complete striker, capable of finishing, but also being an essential anchor point in Dortmund’s collective play
Standout Moments and International Impact
Guirassy’s 2024/25 season is defined by record-breaking feats. His 28 goals in the 2023/24 Bundesliga season earned him Player of the Month awards for September 2023 and March 2024. His brace in a 4-0 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach on the final matchday tied a Bundesliga record for opening goals in a season (12), matching legends like Gerd Müller.
His move to Dortmund elevated his profile further, with his four-goal performance against Union Berlin and Champions League heroics against Barcelona cementing his reputation as a “goal machine.” Internationally, Guirassy debuted for Guinea in a 0-0 draw against South Africa on March 25, 2022. His performances have made him a key figure for the Syli National scoring nine goals in 22 appearances, with fans praising his cultural pride, such as reciting the Quran during a visit to Guinea.
He is seen as a leading candidate for the 2025 CAF Men’s Player of the Year award despite Guinea not qualifying for the AFCON. His six goals in four games for Guinea during the AFCON qualifiers were not enough. He is one of the three Africans to be shortlisted for the 2025 men’s Ballon d’Or award and also one of three Bundesliga players in that list.
The Guinea international star boosted the morale of the Syli Local squad with a passionate visit to their training base in Kindia in July 2025, just days before the team departed for the African Nations Championship (CHAN). He made the stop as part of a broader humanitarian mission in his native country to launch his charity initiative. Many of the local based players look up to the Bundesliga star as a symbol of what is possible through hard work, focus and love for the country.
Challenges and Areas to Improve
Despite his prolific form, Guirassy’s injury history, meniscus surgery, muscular issues, and pubic bone inflammation early in his career remains a concern. While he has largely overcome these setbacks, maintaining fitness will be crucial to Dortmund in the coming season. His limited assist numbers (0.3 per 90 minutes) suggest room to enhance his creative output, particularly in tight matches where Dortmund rely on his link-up play; 4 of his 6 assists last season came from the Champions League.
A Bright Future at Dortmund and Beyond
Nicknamed a “serial buteur” by fans, a French word for goal scorer, Guirassy’s integration, a moniker etched from his ruthless goal-scoring prowess, is a striker whose ambitions ignite the pitch. Before football seized his soul, the Arles-born star harboured dreams of academic glory, eyeing a path in business studies while navigating France’s youth leagues.
Yet, at 19, the game’s siren call won, transforming a boy with scholarly aspirations into a Bundesliga titan. Guirassy fuses clinical precision with a warrior’s heart, a rare alchemy that marks him as one of football’s chosen luminaries.
Many expected that the big clubs will come calling this transfer window but a move out of the Black and yellow before the window shuts is unlikely. Dortmund’s squad has been seamless, with reports suggesting he could join the team’s leadership council due to his popularity and on-pitch impact and with three years left on his contract, he is poised to lead Dortmund’s charge for silverware.
Guirassy’s journey from injury-plagued prospect to Champions League record-holder is a testament to his perseverance. At 29, he is at the peak of his powers, blending physicality, finishing, and tactical intelligence. As Dortmund prepare for the new season, Guirassy’s name is one to watch, with fans and analysts alike hailing him as one of the world’s best strikers.
Whether breaking records or inspiring the next generation in Guinea, Serhou Guirassy is a force to be reckoned with. And, with the No.9 on his back like Lewandowski and Haaland before him, Guirassy continues to do the primary job of an attacker by keeping the conveyor belt of goalscoring phenoms whirring.
By: Victor Akpan / @phenomakpan
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / DeFodi Images