Back in the spotlight: The metamorphosis of Mario Gotze
After the 2014 World Cup hero was increasingly relegated to the status of a substitute player at Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, he moved to PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands.
For many, the exceptional talent was written off. But Gotze is back. In addition to his technical skills, he is now a fighter on the pitch and one of the best in the Bundesliga.
When Eintracht announced Gotze's move back to the Bundesliga before this season, not many people realised the impact he would have on Frankfurt's play. The last pictures German football fans had of Gotze in a Bundesliga kit mostly showed him on the bench.
But Eintracht has fully committed to Gotze and in coach Oliver Glasner's system, he seems to be a perfectly fitting piece of the puzzle.
From outstanding technician to fighter and record runner
Gotze not only shines with his usual strong technique, he has also become a real fighter. At the same time, Eintracht already published Gotze's performance data from his PSV days on their homepage when he was signed, and they are still the undisputed top.
In the Europa League match against Real Sociedad, for example, Gotze ran twelve kilometres, 4.3 kilometres of which at over 14 kilometres per hour, which falls under the category of "high intensity". To date, it's a record at PSV Eindhoven since the introduction of player tracking.
Accordingly, it is not surprising that Gotze is Frankfurt's strongest runner. With 10.99 kilometres per game, Gotze ranks eighth in the Bundesliga and first at Frankfurt.
Glasner will have known why he wants Gotze in the squad. The German has worked enormously on his fitness. Gotze is not only the creative playmaker at Frankfurt, but he is also enormously important in the defensive work.
Glasner always had a high running rate with the Frankfurt side. Eintracht finished second last season, and so far this year they rank fifth in the Bundesliga for mileage per game.
Gotze shines as a provider
Although Gotze's statistics leading to a goal are still only just improving with two goals and one assist, Gotze's playmaking qualities are nevertheless hardly in question at Eintracht.
Kolo Muani is the best provider of assists with nine, but Gotze creates more goal chances than anyone else in Frankfurt. Of Gotze's passes, 41 have resulted in a goal this season, putting him eighth in the Bundesliga.
Frankfurt's best provider of assists, Kolo Muani, has only 29 passes that led to a goal.
Outlook for the World Cup
According to reports in SportBild, Gotze wanted Hansi Flick to give him a real chance of playing in order to make his commitment for the 2022 World Cup. He is said to have received his wish.
Competition in attacking midfield is fierce, but Gotze may have proven that he can make a difference. In the 2014 World Cup final against Argentina, Gotze was substituted on for Miroslav Klose in the 88th minute, and the rest is history.
