Marcus Antonsson could not get a game for Sweden when scoring goals there.
Celtic’s Moussa Dembele in action
Celtic fans have been left disappointed this week, after their striker Moussa Dembele was left out of the senior French national team.
The summer signing from Fulham has been in sensational form this campaign. The 20-year-old has scored 32 goals in 46 games for Celtic this season. That extraordinary form has seen him linked with a shock call-up by Les Bleus.
But using the example of a Leeds United striker, it is easy to demonstrate why Dembele is unlikely to get a call-up anytime soon.
Leeds signed Marcus Antonsson in the summer from Kalmar. At the time, he had 10 goals in 12 games for Kalmar in the Swedish top-flight.
The Swedish Allsvenskan is at least on par with the Scottish league. Yet Antonsson, who would walk into most Scottish sides, never received a call-up to the Swedish national team and is now struggling at Leeds.
Leeds United’s Marcus Antonsson scores their first goal
Dembele is different. He has scored more goals over a consistent period and proved himself with Fulham. He is also younger.
But if Sweden’s best striker in their own league cannot break into their national team, how can Dembele expect to break into the French team whilst playing in a league considered weaker by UEFA’s coefficient standings.
It is not that Dembele is not good enough, or that Celtic would not beat most of the teams in the Swedish league comfortably, but it is about perception.
Dembele will eventually have to leave Scottish football if he is to become a French regular.
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