From Dortmund's most consistent performer to just 600 minutes of playing time in 2026, Karim Adeyemi's remarkable decline at BVB is impossible to ignore

He was referring to Karim Adeyemi, for whom the term 'weapon' has recently acquired a different connotation. Despite Ricken's claim that pace is an "outstanding quality" vital in any tournament, the national coach has omitted the 24-year-old, preferring Maximilian Beier and Jamie Leweling, who offer similar speed.

The omission came as no surprise: even BVB coach Niko Kovac had been relying less on Adeyemi's abilities, a decline not solely caused by the muscle tear he suffered in April.

It is a sharp decline for the 11-cap international in 2026, coming at a time when World Cup qualifiers are at their most critical. Many have already forgotten that Adeyemi enjoyed a strong first half of the season, contributing nine goals (six scored, three assisted) and standing out as Dortmund's most consistent attacking player.

He started 16 of the first half of the season's matches but only six after the turn of the year. Although he made 17 competitive appearances, Adeyemi spent just 582 minutes on the pitch—an average of under 34 minutes per outing—far too little to press his claim for a World Cup squad spot.

Although his output stayed roughly steady—seven goal contributions (four goals, three assists)—he made little impact as a substitute, precisely the role Ricken had earmarked him for at the World Cup. For Kovac, who was never keen on making changes, there was little reason to shift Adeyemi off the bench.

According to the Croatian, no other player has spoken to him more during his time in Dortmund, as he revealed recently on the Bild podcast "Phrasenmäher". The coach described himself as a fan of "the man Adeyemi" because, in his words, "he's a uniquely good bloke". Kovac added: "A great lad, not a bad person – on the contrary: sometimes he's too good a lad in my opinion. There's no malice in him."

Yet being a nice guy doesn't impress a workhorse like Kovac on the pitch. Throughout his career, Adeyemi has lacked the necessary bite and, undoubtedly, the total professionalism needed to turn his undoubted talent into consistent performances at the highest level as a serious senior player.

"I'm absolutely convinced he can become a truly great footballer if he adjusts certain things. But for that to happen, he needs to trust me a bit more," Kovac explained, ticking off the shortcomings: "He needs to work on his precision and his attention to detail. He's been blessed with immense talent; now it's about the hard work, tweaking the details and nuances that will take him to the next level. To do that, he must make the most of every minute of training."

These issues have dogged him throughout his career. Almost three years ago, then assistant coach Armin Reutershahn offered a similar, even more blunt, assessment: "Karim has all the skills needed to become a top player in Europe. He isn't one yet, but he can get there. But sometimes I feel he lacks the necessary seriousness. He's very laid-back at times in training, and I'd like to see him take things even more seriously."

Former head coach Edin Terzic immediately agreed with Reutershahn. "I fully back Achim on that," he said. "We know that consistency and effectiveness need to be added to the mix, and we've set about achieving that – including with Karim." However, Adeyemi has not yet shown significant progress in this development process.

Critics who doubt his potential at the highest level point to the off-field incidents. While he already had a disciplinary record, his behaviour in the first half of the season—including a bottle-throwing incident, an attempted early exit to the dressing room, and a needless scuffle—has made his situation at Dortmund and with the DFB increasingly tricky.

Throwing a bottle towards the substitutes' bench after being substituted, attempting to slip off to the dressing room prematurely while the match was still in progress, needlessly stirring up a scuffle and, to top it all off, the "Mystery Box" disciplinary order—all this took place within the space of just a few weeks. As if that were not enough, his marriage to a rapper has already pigeonholed him as a laissez-faire player with a questionable attitude to his profession and an excessive social-media presence.

The key issue now is Adeyemi's future at BVB. Ricken's public backing was probably calculated: a World Cup appearance could further raise the forward's market value. Adeyemi is in demand; he has offers, including a Borussia extension.

No deal has been struck, but a swift resolution is needed. A sale—likely to fetch at least €40 million—would give Dortmund valuable transfer flexibility. During the summer break, Ricken and his colleagues must fine-tune their messaging to clarify Adeyemi's future.