#SuperMario Gotze progresses from Germany's wunderkind to national hero after World Cup final winning goal

Mario Gotze may look like he is not long out of babygrow lederhosen but his status as Germany’s wunderkind has been established for some considerable time.

His Bundesliga debut came in November 2009 aged 17 and now, five years later, he has accumulated more than 150 first-team appearances for Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich. Gotze’s winning goal against Argentina was his 11th in 35 internationals.

His story is one replicated throughout the German squad that lifted the World Cup at the Maracana; natural talent harnessed early, a chance offered young, improvements made through experience.

King of the world: Mario Gotze of Germany celebrates after scoring the winning goal the 2014 World Cup final match between Germany and Argentina

The world in his grasp: The Bayern Munich midfielder kisses the trophy

 

Victorious: Mario Gotze of Germany celebrates by kissing the FIFA World Cup trophy

Born in Memmingen, Bavaria, Gotze joined the Dortmund academy aged eight when his father Jurgen secured a job as professor at the city’s University of Technology.

As a child he played the game with his older brother Fabian and younger brother Felix. ‘As much as we could, anywhere we could,’ Gotze says. ‘I’d always work on my first touch, moving the ball and looking for that next pass. I practised using both feet.’

The elder siblings now live together in a Munich apartment – Fabian plays for local team SpVgg Unterhaching – while Felix is in Dortmund’s youth set-up.

Mario advanced through those same age groups and on Noverber 21, 2009 manager Jurgen Klopp handed him his debut as a substitute against Mainz. 

His vision, technique, and cutting edge won huge praise quickly. In 2010, former Dortmund and Germany star Matthias Sammer hailed him ‘one of the best talents we’ve ever had.’

His international debut followed on November 17 that year when Joachim Low sent him on as a substitute in a friendly against Sweden, making him the youngest international for the Nationalmannschaft since Uwe Seeler in 1954. He also became the first player in a senior Germany shirt born after the Berlin Wall was torn down, alongside Andre Schurrle who came off the bench at the same time.

During the 2010-11 season, Gotze operated on either flank or through the middle in a Dortmund side producing football full of pace, flair and fluid movement. Still just 18 he scored six goals and made 11 assists in 33 appearances as Dortmund won the Bundesliga for the first time in nine years.

Such statistics are important in illustrating his neat touches and gliding runs were never simply for their own sake – this is a player who always wanted to find the net.

He describes his game thus: ‘Possession is key to winning the game, but at some point you have to take risks to create opportunities and score. Someone has to dare to play a killer pass.’

In August 2011 he became Germany’s joint-youngest goal scorer in the post-war era, at 19 years and 68 days, in a game against Brazil.

Such philosophy and impact alerted Arsene Wenger and at one stage a transfer to Arsenal seemed inevitable. According to contemporaneous reports in Germany, Wenger failed with a bid for Gotze in 2011, while Sportsmail revealed how the Frenchman was also plotting a £30million swoop in April 2013.

However, Gotze shocked his boyhood club by switching to rivals Bayern Munich when they triggered his release clause. The timing was unpalatable, with an announcement made barely 36 hours before Dortmund’s Champions League semi-final with Real Madrid.

Klopp was publicly critical and claimed the attraction of working under incoming Pep Guardiola was too irresistible for Gotze. Dortmund fans labelled him a traitor and burned his shirt.

The episode culminated in Gotze sitting out the 2013 Champions League final between his new and old clubs at Wembley. Injury was cited above conflict of interests. 

All of England’s best clubs would be eager to secure his services but he seems likely to remain in Bavaria for a good while. Before Bayern acted, Manchester City reportedly failed with a £330,000-per-week contract offer.

Gotze scored 10 Bundesliga goals last season and won another title even with the Guardiola project stuttering somewhat, then arrived in Brazil to play in the ‘false 9’ role.

A header against Ghana followed but he lost his place to orthodox striker Miroslav Klose. The 36-year-old tired in the final though and the player 14 years his junior was reintroduced to clinch the trophy. It was an apt exchange of the baton.