For many Barcelona fans, the name Jean Marie Dongou may not immediately ring a bell. Yet, more than a decade ago, he was regarded as one of the brightest attacking prospects to come through La Masia....
For many Barcelona fans, the name Jean Marie Dongou may not immediately ring a bell.
Yet, more than a decade ago, he was regarded as one of the brightest attacking prospects to come through La Masia.
Dongou joined Barcelona in 2008 at just 13 years of age and quickly earned a reputation as a powerful and decisive forward in the club’s youth ranks.
His rapid rise saw him make his first-team debut on December 6, 2013, under then-manager Gerardo Martino.
Despite the early promise, Dongou’s career did not follow the path many expected. He eventually retired from professional football at the age of 28 in April 2023.
Remembering the time
Now 30, he has reflected openly on his journey during a conversation with El After de Post United, offering rare insight into both the positives and the struggles of his time at the club.
One of the most striking parts of the interview was Dongou’s honesty about his personal experiences in Spain.
“I honestly suffered more from anti-Catalan sentiment than racism in Spain. I never suffered racism,” he said.
Dongou also lifted the curtain on the pressures that came with breaking into Barcelona’s first team.
He revealed that “when you made your debut in the first team, you had to invite someone cool that I can’t mention here… otherwise they shut you down.”
Early days
Dongou made only three appearances for Barcelona. (Photo by Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images)
Beyond football, Dongou explained how early financial responsibility shaped his teenage years.
Becoming a professional at such a young age brought life-changing money, not just for him but for his entire family. Reflecting on that period, he recalled,
“When I arrived, Barcelona paid you a lot of money to be a kid. I’ve been bringing money home since I was 13.
“The money Barça paid me was enough to help my parents, my sisters. I started paying for my sisters’ college.”
He also detailed the intense and highly selective process that led to his signing, explaining just how narrow the path was to earning a Barcelona contract.
“There were 300 children, and from those 300, they chose 60. And from those 60, the coach selected 12.
“We came to Barcelona, and Barça only signed three. I spent two years at the Foundation.
“I lived in the house of one of the heads of the Foundation, we went to school, we trained. And then, when there was a tournament, we came here to play. And that’s how Barça signed me,” he said.
Perhaps the most emotional moment came when Dongou spoke about the impact Barcelona had on his family’s survival and future.
Dongou explained that “Barcelona saved my life and that of my family. If I hadn’t gone to Barça, my parents would probably not be alive today.”
Category: General Sports
