Mahmoud Dahoud’s Resurgence at Eintracht Frankfurt

omidbasir- Among the Eintracht Frankfurt players who have been intentionally sidelined this summer, the situation of former German international Mahmoud Dahoud seemed to signal yet another disappointing chapter in his career. Since his ill-fated transfer to Brighton in the summer of 2023, little has gone right for the twice-capped senior international.

The former Borussia Mönchengladbach and Borussia Dortmund player struggled to establish himself with the Seagulls, leading to a loan return to VfB Stuttgart during the latter half of the 2023/24 season. Despite making a notable impact off the bench by scoring, Dahoud only managed one start under head coach Sebastian Hoeneß.

Following the termination of his contract with Brighton after the season, Dahoud joined Eintracht Frankfurt on a free transfer in the summer of 2024. The transition was marked by an emotional press conference, during which he switched his international allegiance back to Germany after a disappointing stint representing Syria.

Under the guidance of SGE head coach Dino Toppmöller, Dahoud began to accumulate regular playing time. Both Toppmöller and sporting director Markus Krösche expressed their admiration for his performance against VfL Bochum on matchday nine, where he scored a goal and provided an assist, seemingly signaling a comeback.

However, this resurgence proved to be a cruel false dawn, as Dahoud started only two more league matches after that early November clash, alongside three brief substitute appearances throughout the 2025 calendar year. Following a clearance to leave and minimal involvement in the training camp, he found himself included in just one of Toppmöller’s initial matchday squads this season.

Unexpectedly, Dahoud reemerged as a midfield starter against Mainz on matchday 10, and he built on that performance by starting again against Köln. There, he looked solid operating as a lone defensive midfielder and scored his 14th career Bundesliga goal, prompting a sense of déjà vu among Bundesliga reporters.

In statements reminiscent of last year’s praise, both Krösche and Toppmöller have once again lauded Dahoud’s contributions. Whether this latest chapter will turn out to be a true renaissance or another fleeting moment remains uncertain.

Regardless, it appears that Dahoud will be afforded more opportunities moving forward. Toppmöller commented in an interview with Sport Bild, “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. He always gave his all in training and never backed down. His performance against Mainz was commendable, and it was especially rewarding to see him achieve success.”

Krösche also weighed in during the same article, saying, “He’s faced challenging periods in his career before and has learned to navigate them. This resilience has served him well. He’s consistently given his all and made himself available. Now he’s finally getting his chance.”