Julien Duranville. A superstar in the making or a story of what could’ve been?
I’ll be honest - I’m worried. Like, genuinely worried. Because one of the most exciting players I’ve seen in years might not end up becoming the star he should be. And that’s not just bad for Borussia Dortmund or Belgian football - it’s a tragedy for the game itself.
Julien Duranville. If you haven’t heard of him yet, that might not last long. But for those of us who have - who’ve watched him play, even just for a few minutes - you’ll know why it’s so hard to shake the feeling that we’re looking at someone special. This kid isn’t just another hyped-up name with a fancy highlight reel. He’s different.
He first popped up on my radar through Football Manager 22, of all places. I was deep into an RB Leipzig save and out of nowhere, Manchester City went and signed Duranville from Anderlecht for €80 million. I remember raising an eyebrow - I hadn’t even heard of the guy - and then, to make things worse, he absolutely torched me in the Champions League semi-finals, scoring a hat-trick. Boom. Just like that, a virtual teenager became hard for me to forget about.
Then Dortmund signed him. In real life.
€8.5 million for a 16-year-old from Anderlecht. That’s when I started taking it seriously. When BVB sign a teenager - especially one you've never really seen - you should pay attention. At first, it was just clips. Those classic grainy social media montages of him dribbling past defenders like they weren’t even there. But I’d seen those before. We’ve all seen “the next big thing” look like Messi on TikTok. I wasn’t sold - not yet.
But then I saw him live. It was the final day of the 2022/23 Bundesliga season - when Dortmund famously bottled the title by drawing 2-2 with Mainz. A chaotic, gut-wrenching collapse for BVB fans. But amidst all that drama, they brought on Duranville. A skinny, wiry 16-year-old who looked like he should’ve been sitting exams, not saving Dortmund’s season.
And somehow, every time he touched the ball, something happened.
He didn’t hide. He didn’t play safe. He wanted the ball, again and again, and every time he got it, he drove straight at his man. He completed all 3/3 dribbles, won 5/6 duels and created 2 chances, and even though some of his crosses didn’t land, the intent was there. He was fearless. Dortmund were desperate for inspiration - and this child looked like their best chance of finding it.
From that moment, I was locked in.
Now, let’s fast forward. He’s 18 now. He’s still doing wild things every time he gets on the pitch. He gave Barcelona nightmares in their quarter-final tie, appearing off the left and off the right-hand-side. He’s attempting eight dribbles per 90, and completing half of them. That’s absurd, especially at this level and at his age. He draws fouls constantly, using his dribbling ability to land him in the top 1% of wingers in Europe for penalties won per game.
But here’s the thing that gnaws at me: he’s barely played.
He hasn’t started a single game this season. Last year, it was a growth spurt that messed with his body - growing too fast, picking up injuries, struggling with consistency. This year, he’s been mostly fit, but Dortmund are being cautious. Understandably so. They don’t want to overload him and risk another setback. But from a fan’s perspective, it’s frustrating. You just want to see him unleashed.Because if things had gone differently - if those injuries hadn’t popped up, if he’d had a consistent run of games - I genuinely believe he’d already be one of the most talked-about young players in the world. The trajectory he was on? It felt like we were watching the rise of a world-beater before he even turned 18.
In all honesty, I’m probably overreacting. There’s plenty of time for him to break into the first team properly and explode the way I think he will. Dortmund are known for developing talent at the right pace and maybe we just have to trust the process.
But here’s the thing: talent like this doesn’t come around often. Duranville isn’t just a promising young winger. He’s one of the best talents I’ve seen. He’s a throwback right-winger - right-footed, hugging the touchline, taking defenders on the outside, and whipping in dangerous balls. It’s old-school but it’s so refreshing to watch
If he can stay fit, and if Dortmund ease him into the rhythm of regular football without rushing or sidelining him, then the sky’s the limit. He has all the tools to be something truly special. But if - and I really hope this doesn’t happen — things don’t click, if injuries or a lack of opportunity hold him back… it won’t just be a personal disappointment. It’ll be a loss for everyone who loves this game. Because football needs players like Julien Duranville.
Let’s just hope next season is the one. The one where he finally gets the minutes, builds the rhythm, and shows the world what he can really do.
Because if he doesn’t… it’s another huge “what if” story that we’ll be staring down the barrel of.
