Mahmoud Dahoud’s Journey: From Setbacks to Redemption at Eintracht Frankfurt

omidbasir- Amidst the departures from Eintracht Frankfurt this summer, it seemed that former German international Mahmoud Dahoud was destined for another disappointing chapter in his career. Since his ill-fated move to Brighton in the summer of 2023, Dahoud has faced numerous challenges.

After failing to establish himself with the Seagulls, he was loaned back to VfB Stuttgart for the latter half of the 2023/24 season. Although he managed to score after coming off the bench, he only earned one start under head coach Sebastian Hoeneß.

Following the termination of his contract with Brighton, Dahoud joined Eintracht on a free transfer in the summer of 2024. This transition was marked by an emotional press conference in which Dahoud, having previously represented Syria, announced his return to the German national setup.

Under the management of Dino Toppmöller, Dahoud began to receive regular playing time. Both Toppmöller and sporting director Markus Krösche expressed their admiration for him after a standout performance as a starter against VfL Bochum on matchday nine, where he scored a goal and provided an assist, signaling a potential revival of his form.

However, this proved to be a cruel false dawn, as Dahoud only started twice more in the league following that match and made a mere three substitute appearances throughout the entirety of 2025.

After being cleared to leave and appearing to be a non-factor in training camp, Dahoud found himself in only one of Toppmöller’s seven initial matchday squads this year. Yet, unexpectedly, he emerged as a starting midfielder against Mainz on matchday 10.

Once again, he started against Köln, displaying a solid performance as a midfielder. Just before halftime, Dahoud scored his 14th career Bundesliga goal. Bundesliga reporters experienced a sense of déjà vu, as Toppmöller and Krösche reiterated their high praise for Dahoud, reminiscent of their comments from over a year prior.

Whether this resurgence marks a genuine turnaround in his career remains to be seen. However, it is clear that Dahoud is being given further opportunities.

“He deserves this chance because he has persevered over the last few months and remained committed to the team despite the difficulties he faced,” Toppmöller stated in an interview with Sport Bild. “He consistently gave his best during training and never shied away from challenges. His performance against Mainz was commendable, and it was especially gratifying that he experienced this sense of achievement.”

Krösche also commented on Dahoud’s resilience, stating, “He has endured challenging periods in his career and learned to navigate through them. This experience is invaluable to him. He has always shown commitment and made himself available; now he is getting his opportunity.”