Borussia Dortmund: The German Bundesliga team boasting Bellingham and African goalscoring machine set to face Mamelodi Sundowns in Fifa Club World Cup Group F

Borussia Dortmund's rich history is a testimony to the unwavering passion and dedication of its fans and players. Founded in 1909 by a group of young men dissatisfied with the traditional Catholic church gymnastic group they were part of, the club has evolved from humble beginnings to become one of Germany's most successful and beloved football clubs.

From the early days of playing in yellow and black stripes to the present-day exploits at the Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund's journey has been marked by periods of triumph and adversity, but always with a commitment to developing young talent and entertaining the masses.

With eight Bundesliga titles, five DFB-Pokals, six DFL Supercups, and a UEFA Champions League triumph in 1997, Dortmund's trophy cabinet is a reflection of its growing stature on the European stage.

More recently, Der BVB have become the go-to club for Europe's most talented youngsters looking to mature into global superstars.

Borussia Dortmund had an impressive finish to their domestic league after claiming seven wins in the last eight games of the season, which concluded a few weeks ago.

The last match of the campaign ended in a draw against bitter rivals and Bundesliga title winners FC Bayern Munich. The unbeaten run of late-season form saw BVB finish 4th on the league table to secure a UEFA Champions League spot for next season.

Their disappointing 0-0 draw against Fluminense in their opening match of the Club World Cup will be cause for concern for coach Nico Kovac as his team faced twice as many shots (14) as they managed against the Brazilian club (seven).

Watching the German side struggle to break down the Tricolor defence could give Sundowns hope of getting positive results when the two sides meet on Saturday, the 21st of June.

Serhou Guirassy, who finished the season as the club’s leading scorer, has proven his scoring prowess after banging in 21 goals in the league in 30 matches.

The French-born striker finished second on the Top Goal Scorer chart behind Harry Kane, who netted 26 goals in 31 appearances for Bayern. Guirassy is the key player for Dortmund, and his scoring ability could cause Sundowns all sorts of problems.

Meanwhile, Jobe Bellingham, brother to Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham, is another player to watch, having completed a move to Dortmund from Sunderland a few days before the start of the Club World Cup.

The highly-rated midfielder, who was signed on a transfer fee of £38 million, will be eager to produce top performances to prove that he's a force to be reckoned with and not just a brother to Jude Bellingham.

Niko Kovac has quickly won the hearts of many Dortmund supporters after joining the club in January, halfway through the previous season.

The former AS Monaco mentor found the 2024 UEFA Champions League finalists languishing in the 11th position on the log standings and turned their fortunes around in a short space of time.

In 14 matches in charge of Dortmund in the league, Kovac won nine games, drew one, and lost four times to guide his troops to the top four on the log.

The 53-year-old tactician has vast experience after having coaching stints at clubs such as Eintracht Frankfurt, AS Monaco, VfL Wolfsburg, FC Bayern Munich, and the Croatia national team.

FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP

BORUSSIA DORTMUND

MAMELODI SUNDOWNS

BUNDESLIGA

NIKO KOVAC

SERHOU GUIRASSY

JOBE BELLINGHAM