With Mamelodi Sundowns forward Tashreeq Matthews set to have a reunion with Borussia Dortmund, KickOff details Matthews' struggle to break into the senior team at BVB.
Matthews had fond memories and perhaps flashbacks of what could have been and where he should have been in his career, after Sundowns were drawn against Dortmund in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup draw, including Brazilian side Fluminense and Ulsan HD of South Korea, who will all contest to emerge out of Group F.
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The 24-year-old had a dream move to the German outfit, for their U19s, in 2018 after he was signed from Cape Town Spurs (formerly Ajax Cape Town) youth.
The Hanover Park native attacker was initially loaned out to Dutch side Utrecht U19 before he returned to join the Dortmund reserve side in 2019.
During his time with the Dortmund U19s, Matthews was with the likes of Germany striker Youssoufa Moukoko, currently on loan at French side Nice.
While fighting for a chance to be promoted to the first team at the Black and Yellow, Matthews at the time had big talent playing in his position, such as Jadon Sancho, who was only sold to Manchester United in 2021.
The Sundowns winger also had to prove he's better than or could emulate the likes of Germany attackers Julian Brandt, Marco Reus, Axel Witsel and Mario Gotze, who were flying at BVB during that era.
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As a result, the Cape Town forward could not break into the Dortmund senior team and was loaned out to Swedish club Helsingborgs IF, before he was eventually sold to fellow Swedish outfit Varbergs in 2020.
Just after Matthews left The Black and Yellow for good, the German outfit had already lined up highly-rated youngsters, who have become one of the best players in the world, Erling Haaland, who was signed from RB Salzburg in the same month they sold the South African and Jude Bellingham acquired from Birmingham six months later.
Haaland and Bellingham are currently in the top bracket of the best players in the world, at Manchester City and Real Madrid respectively.