Each photo of him was more striking than the previous one: a child among adults. A little boy, too, who was knocking on the door of professional football. Social networks and their viral videos did the rest and converted Karamoko Dembéléonly 13 years old, in a ‘wonderkid’, the term used in the United Kingdom to talk about a child prodigy.
One of the images that went around the world was when his debut with the Celtic Under-20 team. He did it when he was just 13 and playing with players up to seven years older than him. The physique did not deceive, still undeveloped.
Karamoko Dembélé was a star without yet being a professional footballer: The brands were approaching him, Celtic wanted to tie him down with his first contract and even at least two countries, England and Scotland, were fighting to convince him to play for their national team. The English called him together with the elders. Having been born in 2003, he was with those of 2002. He was not the only one: Jamal Musiala o Jude Bellingham also.
His emergence did not stop. He first played for Scotland and then, when his performances in international tournaments generated uncontrolled hype, he moved to the English team (he was born in south London). The newspapers dedicated articles to him. In the last league match of the 2018/19 season, and shortly after having renewed until 2021, Dembélé debuted with the first team at 16 years, three months and two days. When it was over, he was one of those who received the medal for Celtic’s league title.
The blessing of L’Equipe
A few months later, the international impact rose to a new level. The French newspaper The team chose him as one of the footballers who “they would dominate the world” in the coming years. Along with Karamoko Dembélé, other more or less well-known names: Ansu FatiJoelson Fernandes, Sebastiano Esposito, Mohamed Ihattaren and Karim Adeyemi. Short and quick tip: be careful with these lists.
The weight of expectations was already very high. And Dembélé’s minutes at the highest level did not come so frequently. At the national team level, he did not go beyond the England Under-18s. At Celtic he entered the last year of his contract with the arrival of Ange Postecoglou, but an injury in the preseason left him sidelined until February. He barely had any opportunities. Karamoko Dembélé ended his contract with Celtic in 2022 after playing 10 games with the first team.
He was 19 years old and was free in the transfer market.
Of all the proposals he had on the table, he chose to sign four seasons at Brest in Ligue 1. He went to live alone, moved away from the media spotlight and opted for his football career. But he only played 15 games in the league, none as a starter.
Transfer to Blackpool, in third
This past summer he wanted to try himself in England. He chose to go out on loan to Blackpool, from League One, the country’s third category. “The problem is that People still judge me for what I was when I was little., but now I want to demonstrate it in a first team. I have lived alone in France, I have matured as a person and as a footballer,” he declared in his first days at the club. Neil Critchley, his coach, welcomed him with open arms. He was willing to give him minutes week after week: “Karamoko is a young footballer, He still hasn’t played this many games in his career.“I changed it due to fatigue,” he explained several days ago.
“The problem is that people still judge me for what I was when I was little”
Karamoko Dembélé Blackpool footballer
The attacker, who is still physically smaller than most, now has regularity. He has made 23 appearances for Blackpool and has started the last ten in the league. In total, he already adds three goals and eight assists, the last one this January 1, 2024. Good way to start the year. “Everyone has their way: mine has been a difficult road because they have talked about me since I was very young and I haven’t had the opportunity to play,” acknowledged Karamoko Dembélé, a one-time world football sensation, a teammate of Bellingham or Musiala, who today is trying to find his place on a loan in the third division of England. He is 20 years old.
Álvaro de Grado is in charge of covering English football information. He was born in Madrid and was a correspondent in Manchester for nine years, where he collaborated with different media, both national (MARCA, Diario AS, Cadena SER) and international (La Tercera, TUDN, TNT Sports). Currently, along with his work at Relevo, he also comments on Premier League matches on DAZN and covers the Champions League for TNT Sports México. In addition, he is the author of the book “Away Days” by Editorial Panenka, has worked as a football scout for StatsBomb and has been part of the communication team of representation agencies. …
2024-01-01 18:31:41
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