It's not often that a hat trick in a Champions League quarterfinal isn't enough, but such was the case for Borussia Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy. The Guinean's treble helped the Bundesliga side win the night but not the tie as Spanish giants Barcelona advanced to the semifinals on aggregate. But, in the aftermath of Barcelona's first defeat this year, the context of Guirassy's performance became clear.

"It's an amazing feeling to be the top scorer in the Champions League, especially among so many incredible players. Leading the charts shows I'm a strong finisher, but none of it would be possible without the support of my teammates. I can't achieve this on my own," Guirassy said after the match.

He has become the first African player to score a hat trick in the Champions League quarterfinals and scored the most ever goals (13) by an African player in a single Champions League season. He also now holds the same record for Dortmund, surpassing Erling Haaland and Robert Lewandowski (both 10).

Guirassy currently leads the competition's scoring charts this season, boosted by his nine goals in the eight-game group stage. His 15 career goals in the Champions League put him inside the top 10 of the all-time African goalscorers in competition, albeit some way off the likes of Egypt's Mohamed Salah (51 goals), Cote d'Ivoire's Didier Drogba (44 goals) and Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o (30 goals). The last African to finish as the competition's top scorer was George Weah in 1995 for Paris Saint-Germain.

A late bloomer

At 29 years old and arriving from Stuttgart with an injury concern last year, Guirassy has blossomed at Dortmund in a way few expected. He has 28 goals in 29 games in all competitions this season, leading head coach Niko Kovac to call him the club's "life insurance" earlier this year.

Guirassy was born in Arles, on France's southern coast, and his early career was spent playing for Laval, Lille and Auxerre (on loan) before his first Bundesliga move to Cologne in 2016. But a mix of injuries and problems settling, as well as Cologne's later relegation, prevented the then 20-year-old from making any real impact. He then joined French top division side Rennes, before returning to Germany when he joined Stuttgart in 2022. His form was so good that he signed permanently, and set records when he scored 14 goals in the first 8 games of the 2023-24 season. He would finish the campaign with 28 goals in 28 games, a new club record for Stuttgart and the reason why Dortmund came calling.

Recognition of hard work required

"I understand that my form might surprise some, but I'm not surprised," said Guirassy in a recent interview with France Football magazine. "I have had two crazy seasons, but I've not changed anything. I'm not working more, I'm not sleeping more, I'm not doing more video analysis. It's just a question of confidence. And I have understood that at the highest level, talent isn't enough."

The Guinean international himself admits that he wasn't born a goalscorer but rather became one. Before his return to Germany in 2022, he had never managed more than 11 goals in a league campaign. In European competitions, he had never scored more than 2 in a single season. Now, he is on the verge of a 30-goal season with his goals spread evenly across both the league and Europe.

Staying fit for long enough certainly helps, but perhaps it is this that makes the success of the 29-year-old so special. A confident, self-made striker has emerged at an age when most footballers start to think about what is next. For Guirassy, it's all about what is happening right now. 

Edited by: Matt Pearson