Serhou Guirassy’s career trajectory resembles a fairy tale. Once a journeyman striker with relegations in both German and French top flights on his resume, the 29-year-old Guinea international now stands among Europe’s elite goalscorers. His ten Champions League goals this season have propelled Borussia Dortmund into the quarter-finals and placed him joint-second on the competition’s scoring charts.

Guirassy’s career has been anything but conventional. After breaking through at Laval, he moved to Lille in 2015 but managed just three Ligue 1 starts before being loaned out. A move to German side Cologne followed, but injuries limited him to just 21 Bundesliga appearances across two seasons. His journey continued with loans at Amiens and Rennes, where he finally found consistent form but still faced relegation.

Everything changed when Guirassy returned to Germany with Stuttgart. In the 2023-24 season, he erupted with 30 goals in 30 games across all competitions, including 28 Bundesliga goals. His goal-per-79-minutes ratio in the Bundesliga was second only to Harry Kane. Despite missing several games through injury, he played more minutes in the league than ever before in his career.

This season, Guirassy’s journey reached new heights when he joined Borussia Dortmund. Despite an injury-delayed start, he’s been nothing short of spectacular, scoring 24 goals in 34 games across all competitions. His ten Champions League goals have made him the joint-second top scorer in the competition, while his 14 goal involvements equalled a record previously held by Mohamed Salah.

Guirassy attributes his transformation to mental resilience rather than any physical or tactical changes. “I understand that my form might surprise some, but I’m not surprised,” he explained. “It’s just a question of confidence. At the highest level, talent isn’t enough—you have to push through the pain barrier, make high-intensity runs more quickly and frequently than your opponents.”

Guirassy’s achievements have etched his name in African football history. His 14 goal involvements in this season’s Champions League match the record for most by an African player in a single campaign. The Guinea forward continues to build on his legacy while challenging perceptions about late-blooming strikers.

As Borussia Dortmund continues their Champions League campaign, all eyes will be on Guirassy to see how many more records he can break and whether he can lead his team to European glory.