Mousa Dembele facts for kids
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Personal information | |||
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Date of birth | 16 July 1987 | ||
Place of birth | Antwerp, Belgium | ||
Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
Playing position | Midfielder | ||
Club information | |||
Current club | Tottenham Hotspur F.C. | ||
Number | 19 | ||
National team | |||
Belgium national team | |||
† Appearances (Goals). |
Mousa Dembele (born on July 16, 1987) is a talented Belgian professional football player. He is famous for his powerful and skillful play in the midfield. Dembele played for several top clubs during his career, including Tottenham Hotspur F.C. in England. He also proudly represented his home country, the Belgium national team, in many international matches.
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Mousa Dembele: A Midfield Maestro
Mousa Dembele is a well-known football player from Belgium. He is best known for his time as a midfielder. A midfielder is a player who helps both in defense and attack. They need to be good at passing, tackling, and controlling the ball. Dembele was especially good at keeping the ball close to him, making it very hard for opponents to take it away.
Early Career in Belgium and Netherlands
Mousa Dembele started his football journey in his home country, Belgium. He began playing for a club called Germinal Beerschot. He was very young when he joined their youth academy. This is where he learned many of his basic football skills.
After playing in Belgium, Dembele moved to the Netherlands. He joined a club called Willem II. This was an important step in his career. He then moved to AZ Alkmaar, another Dutch club. At AZ Alkmaar, he started to show how good he really was. He helped the team win the Dutch league title in the 2008-2009 season. This was a big achievement for him and the club.
Playing in England: Fulham and Tottenham
Dembele's great performances in the Netherlands caught the eye of English clubs. In 2010, he moved to England to play for Fulham F.C.. He quickly became a key player for them. He showed his strength and skill in the English Premier League, which is one of the toughest football leagues in the world.
His impressive play at Fulham led to a move to Tottenham Hotspur F.C. in 2012. This was a big step up for him. At Tottenham, Dembele became a very important part of the team. He played alongside other famous players. He helped Tottenham compete at the top of the league and in European competitions. Fans loved his ability to dribble past players and protect the ball.
His Role at Tottenham
At Tottenham, Dembele was often called a "box-to-box" midfielder. This means he could run from one penalty box to the other, helping in both defense and attack. He was very strong and hard to push off the ball. He also had excellent balance and control. These skills made him one of the best midfielders in the league. He helped Tottenham finish high in the league standings for several seasons.
International Career with Belgium
Mousa Dembele also had a successful career playing for his country, Belgium. He made his debut for the Belgium national team in 2006. This is when he first got to wear the national team jersey. He played alongside many other talented Belgian players. This group of players was often called Belgium's "Golden Generation."
He represented Belgium in major international tournaments. These included the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Championship. Playing for your country is a great honor for any footballer. Dembele helped Belgium achieve good results on the world stage. He was a reliable and important player for the national team's midfield.
His Unique Playing Style
What made Mousa Dembele special was his unique way of playing. He was not known for scoring many goals. Instead, he was known for his incredible strength and dribbling skills. He could hold onto the ball even when surrounded by many opponents. He would then pass the ball to his teammates, starting new attacks.
His ability to keep possession of the ball was amazing. It was very difficult for other players to tackle him and take the ball away. This made him a very valuable player for any team he played for. He was also very good at winning the ball back from opponents. This made him a strong defensive midfielder as well.
Later Career and Retirement
After many successful years in England, Dembele moved to China in 2019. He joined a club called Guangzhou City. He continued to play professional football there for a few more years. Playing in China was a new experience for him.
In 2022, Mousa Dembele announced his retirement from professional football. This means he stopped playing the sport professionally. He had a long and successful career, playing at the highest levels of football for many years. He is remembered as one of Belgium's most talented midfielders.