On Tuesday night they lined up in the Champions League against Barcelona- two years earlier Moussa Dembele and Patrick Roberts were team-mates for Fulham in the FA Youth Cup Final against Chelsea.
There was heartache in the end for the Celtic duo but with both players on the scoresheet at Stamford Bridge they put a marker down that they were destined for the top.
It took a stoppage time goal from Dominic Solanke to deny Fulham the trophy on a 7-6 aggregate with over 13,000 watching the second leg at Stamford Bridge.
Thanks to FA TV the highlights from both matches are available for viewing providing great evidence of two young players making an impression on the game
Malcolm Elias is credited with developing Roberts and Dembele through the Fulham Academy with a preview of the final in the Independent giving an insight into what is involved in the modern scouting business.
The first leg
The second leg.
The Independent explained: “Elias is described as “pivotal” to the recruitment of Fulham’s two most exciting players, Patrick Roberts and Moussa Dembélé, both of whom have broken into the first team this year but should still play on Monday night. Their two stories demonstrate the different routes into the academy.
“Roberts is a local boy who impressed with Surrey Schools but was playing for AFC Wimbledon when the parents of an existing Fulham player brought him to the attention of the club. He joined them relatively late, at 13, but has already surprised some and made his first-team debut last month, one of 10 academy graduates to do so this season.
“Dembélé was first spotted playing for France Under-16s in the Val-de-Marne tournament in 2011. In August 2012, with his club Paris Saint-Germain having changed ownership, Fulham were alerted to his availability and quickly took advantage. Dembélé has been scoring goals for the Under-18s and Under-21s ever since. He is arguably the most dangerous striker at the club.”
