Mahmoud Dahoud: A Resilient Return to Form at Eintracht Frankfurt

Amidst the tumult at Eintracht Frankfurt, former German international Mahmoud Dahoud seemed poised for yet another disappointing chapter in his career this summer. Since his challenging transfer to Brighton in the summer of 2023, little has gone well for the twice-capped senior international.

The ex-Borussia Mönchengladbach and Borussia Dortmund player struggled to make an impact at Brighton, which led to a loan return to VfB Stuttgart during the latter half of the 2023/24 season. Although he managed to score after coming off the bench, Dahoud was granted just one starting opportunity under head coach Sebastian Hoeneß.

After his contract with Brighton was terminated at the end of the season, Dahoud joined Eintracht on a free transfer in the summer of 2024. This transition included an emotional press conference where he switched his international allegiance back to Germany, following an unsuccessful stint representing Syria.

Under the guidance of SGE head coach Dino Toppmöller, Dahoud began to receive regular playing time. Both Toppmöller and sports director Markus Krösche expressed their admiration for Dahoud following an outstanding performance during his start against VfL Bochum on matchday nine. In that match, he scored a goal and provided an assist, suggesting he was on the path to redemption.

However, that moment proved to be a fleeting false dawn, as Dahoud only made two additional league starts following that match in early November 2024, alongside just three brief substitute appearances throughout the entire 2025 calendar year.

Cleared to leave and having made minimal impact during training camp, Dahoud found himself included in just one of Toppmöller’s seven initial matchday squads this season. Yet, unexpectedly, he emerged as a starting midfielder against Mainz on matchday 10.

Most recently, Dahoud started again against Köln, delivering a solid performance as a central midfielder. Just before halftime, he scored his 14th career Bundesliga goal, rekindling a sense of déjà vu among Bundesliga reporters.

In a familiar refrain reminiscent of last year’s praise, Krösche and Toppmöller once again lauded Dahoud’s contributions. Whether this resurgence is sustainable remains uncertain, but it appears Dahoud will be afforded additional opportunities.

“He deserves it because he has simply kept at it over the last few months and has always been there for the whole group, despite his difficult situation,” Toppmöller remarked in an interview with Sport Bild. “He always gave his all in training and never backed down. He already played a decent game against Mainz, and this time it was all the more satisfying that he had this sense of achievement.”

Krösche echoed similar sentiments, stating, “He’s had bad spells in his career before and has learned to deal with them. I think that helps him a lot. He’s always given his all and made himself available. Now he’s been given his chance.”

GGFN | Peter Weis