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Could Kim Jong Un’s daughter one day become a leader?

STORY: The unexpected appearance of Kim Jong Un’s daughter during a recent missile test has raised speculation that she could be a successor in the making. If true, analysts say, it would be an uphill struggle unprecedented in the male-dominated dynasty. first official confirmation that Kim has children. The North Korean leader’s daughter – who has not been named in state media – appeared in coverage that day of a ballistic missile launch, watching the shot and holding her father’s hand as she he was examining the weapon. Kim’s sister, Yo Jong, has held positions of power over the years. But would her daughter have a chance of reaching the top? North Korea, I felt like a leader should be a man. In North Korea, women are said to have equal rights, but women are still seen as supporting figures for men. On Mother’s Day on November 16, North Korea had published an editorial. He says the role of a mother is to raise her children well and make them contribute to the country.” The existence of Kim’s daughter was first revealed by American basketball star Dennis Rodman. British newspaper he was holding a “baby” girl named Ju Ae. Yo Jong, is spearheading a tougher new campaign to pressure South Korea. And, according to that country’s intelligence services, he acts as a “de facto” second-in-command in some cases. Choe Son Hui is the country’s first female foreign minister. It’s far too early to know whether Kim’s daughter is considered next in line, according to analysts say, or if his Friday appearance was just a token, a prop used to portray Kim as a loving father and assure citizens that nuclear weapons would protect children.

Over the past two seasons, Barcelona have invested in three different centre-forwards. Memphis Depay was signed in the summer of 2021 on a free transfer after which the club decided to bring Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Arsenal in January 2022.

Auba impressed coaching staff and fans alike during his half-season at Camp Nou, but his first-choice starting spot was taken by Robert Lewandowski in the summer of 2022.

However, it looks like Barca are ready to sign another striker soon. According to a report by Mundo Deportivo, one of the names on the agenda is Borussia Dortmund’s Youssoufa Moukoko.

Barcelona are set to scout the German teenager during the World Cup as he has been called up to represent the DFB.

At 17, Moukoko has the world of football at his feet. With his contract expiring in the summer of 2023, many teams will be fighting for his signature.

The youngster made his Dortmund debut three seasons ago and is now playing his first full season with the senior team. In 14 games so far this season, he has scored six goals and provided three assists.

Liverpool and Manchester United are two of the other teams credited with an interest in Moukoko, who got a snarky response when asked about his future during a press conference with Germany.

“I feel very comfortable in Dortmund, I feel the confidence of the coach. You will know at the end if I decide to stay or not. he said.

Dortmund could be forced to sell Moukoko during the January transfer window if things go wrong, but it seems unlikely that Barcelona will be involved in the race for him during this period.

Joan Laporta has already made public La Liga’s resistance to letting Barcelona sign players this winter. At most, the club can be expected to register Gavi, Alejandro Balde, Inaki Pena and Pablo Torre in the senior squad in January.

That said, Memphis Depay has been linked with a Camp Nou exit, and if he ends up leaving as reports suggest, Barca might have to dive into the market to sign a replacement for the Dutchman.

Niclas Füllkrug scored a debut goal for Germany on the eve of their 2022 World Cup campaign. bundesliga.com profiles the no-frills Werder Bremen striker who could be Hansi Flick’s biggest asset in the final…

Nicolas Fullkrug

Age: 29
Club: Werder Bremen
Position: Striker
Country: Germany (one selection / one goal)

Key statistics

Füllkrug’s call-up to Germany’s World Cup squad is just the reward for his goal-filled form in the Bundesliga. The 29-year-old is traveling to Qatar as a Germany’s top scorer in the Bundesliga with 10 goals in 14 games for the promoted Bremen, as well as two assists. This puts it second to Christopher Nkunku for final product (RB Leipzig’s talisman has 12 goals), while only his Borussia Mönchengladbach counterpart Marcus Thuram ranks higher for penalties (55 versus 46). The 6’2″ before, who was named October Player of the Monthis also among the top four players in the league for challenges won (76).

Look: All of Niclas Füllkrug’s goals so far in 2022/23

Contrary to popular belief, Füllkrug did not come out of nowhere. His 19 goals and 8 assists played a crucial role in promoting Werder to the Bundesliga last season. He also kept his hometown club Hannover afloat with a career top scorer with 14 Bundesliga goals in 2017/18having previously gained invaluable experience in the German second tier with Nuremberg and Greuther Fürth (a combination 24 goals in 85 games).

Eight goals for Germany U19 and 20 are further evidence of his innate nose for the back of the opposition net – instinct laid bare against Oman on his senior international debut. Presented as a half-time substitute, Werder’s talisman scored with his second attemptbefore being denied his double by an offside flag.

Plays like: Mario Gomez

Toni Kroos has spoken about some of the similarities Füllkrug shares with former Germany strikers Miroslav Klose and Mario Gomez in the build-up to the World Cup.

“In fact, we almost always had someone like him with Miro [Klose]Mario Gomez,” the Germany and Real Madrid midfielder said. “I think those are the types of players who can really help you in certain situations, and Hansi [Flick] knows that.”

Werder’s hardy and prolific target man may have more in common with Gomez, who forged a reputation as a classic fox in the box during a playing career that produced more than 500 goals for the club and the country.

Did you know?

Füllkrug’s nickname is ‘Lucke‘, the German word for ‘gap’, in reference to the gap between his front teeth. He’s also half of Bremen’s ‘Ugly Ducklings’ – a tongue-in-cheek nickname he coined together with his striker partner Marvin Ducksch.

Maybe someone should put ‘resplendent swan’ on it. That certainly suits his most recent numbers in front of goal.

What they say

“Niclas deserved the goal. He had two or three more shots. You could feel his presence in attack as soon as he was on the pitch.” – Film after Füllkrug’s debut in Germany

Füllkrug scored in the 80th minute of Germany’s World Cup preparation with Oman, having replaced Youssoufa Moukoko at half-time. – Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images

“Hansi is not blind. Füllkrug performs well and is the smart choice.” – German legend Lothar Matthäus

“‘Fülle’ can be important for the national team, just as it is for us. There are outstanding technical players [ahead of him]but if you want to play with a classic nine, I don’t think there’s anyone better.” – Bremen defender Niklas Stark

Second in the table behind Bayern with their best points record after fifteen games (30), on their way to a first season in the Champions League, until the quarter-finals of the Europa League and the DFB Pokal – SC Freiburg do not Couldn’t have asked for a much better end to a superb year which also saw a first outing in the DFB Pokal final in Berlin.

No wonder Christian Streich is in a reflective mood. “I would like to freeze this moment in time,” the 57-year-old said after the 4-1 win over Union Berlin. Or did he? Taking a closer look at his sometimes impenetrable Badisch dialect, he actually hoped to deposit some of his most seasoned team members in a giant cryogenic chamber in the coming months. “I’d rather we could put them on ice, so they don’t age and we continue to have their quality and experience,” Streich said, a little wistfully.

The men he was thinking of aren’t that old, actually. Sunday’s hat-trick hero Vincenzo “Vinsche” Grifo is 29, the same age as German international Christian Gunter. Veteran Nicolas Hofler may be 32, but Freiburg’s Mr Freeze’s biggest argument was about how brilliantly this team of decent, if not exactly super-talented players has come together in recent months.

That kind of magic, a life in football taught him, isn’t meant to last. “Maybe this team has reached its peak,” Streich reflected. “I would like things to stay like this, but they won’t. We can just enjoy (our position), be happy and work on not putting too much pressure on ourselves thinking that everything is going to continue.

There’s no danger that anyone in Freiburg thinks the good times will just continue without a ton of hard work. This tale of Schwarzwald is built on ingenuity (good tracking, tactical cohesion), a strong collective spirit and the rigor of the kilometers in each match. Freiburg’s football is functional rather than fun and defensively solid, designed to keep things tight and ahead of opponents. But what other way is there for a club in a city of 230,000 inhabitants with a turnover of 114 million euros? During Streich’s inspired eleven-year reign, no other Bundesliga team has so far transcended their underdog status.

Before kick-off, the entire Europa-Park stadium held up ‘Boycott Qatar’ signs. There were also banners referring to the lack of freedom of the press, women’s rights and labor issues. Streich, a frequent commentator on politics and social issues, said he couldn’t find fault with any of the posts, but stopped short of calling for a boycott himself. “I think of the footballers, it’s not their fault,” he said. In another sign of their incredible progress, Freiburg are sending five players to the tournament: the aforementioned Gunter and 2014 World Cup winner Matthias Ginter (both SC academy graduates), South Korean international Woo-yeong Jeong, Daniel -Kofi Kyereh from Ghana and Ritsu Doan (Japan). Grifo could also have escaped if Italy had not failed to qualify.

Gunter thanked Streich in a touching way for constantly improving him over the years, “it’s not easy when you work together for so long”. In the same way, the manager’s longevity in the job and the care he gives to his players certainly go hand in hand. When asked to explain the secrets of the club’s success, Streich also mentioned the confidence and freedom he enjoyed in his dealings with the board. “I have known Henry Breit, the chairman of the supervisory board, for 25 years, but he never discussed football with me,” Streich said. “And I never discussed finances with him either, because I have no idea. That’s how we work here. »

The sky might not quite be the limit at such a pragmatic club. “There will be times when we lose another two or three games,” the SC coach warned, firmly on the message. No points for guessing that sweet and sour is his favorite flavor, and he’s definitely a “glass half full Tannenzapfle” type of guy.

In a television interview with a local channel at the final whistle, the butcher’s son almost turned into a self-parody, insisting that “the most important thing” about playing a first half of the season like no other was the fact that SC had already reached 30 points, the tally which is usually enough to stay standing. It’s probably safe to aim a little higher now.

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Borussia Dortmund, on the other hand, had a week to forget. Beaten 2-0 at VfL Wolfsburg in midweek, they ended 2022 with another defeat, 4-2 at Borussia Mönchengladbach. Their defense was once again befitting its name, handing former BVB II manager Daniel Farke’s side a rather ridiculous four goals. “We are not starting next year with zero but less,” conceded Edin Terzic worried.

Dortmund are only in sixth place before the break and are heading for the points tally in the 1960s, the kind of season that saw confidence in Lucien Favre erode quite quickly. BVB CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has told Bild the club are “1000 per cent” behind the 40-year-old, but that stance could still change if Champions League qualification becomes in jeopardy.

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Meanwhile in Gelsenkirchen, Jamal Musiala put in a performance that made Lothar Matthaus purr with delight (“He will be Bayern’s Messi,” said the 1990 World Cup winner) and various pundits. Coach Julian Nagelsmann praised the 19-year-old’s tight control due to his ‘snake legs’, and the Germany international certainly had too much bite for an ill-fated Schalke 04 side.

The hosts were lucky that most Bayern players were already on the plane to Doha, mentally, after taking an easy 2-0 lead. (Yes, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, German-Cameroonian Lewandowski, scored again). The tenth straight win for the champions in all competitions made exaggerated criticism leveled at Nagelsmann in September a distant memory.

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In the damp basement of the Bundesliga, Leverkusen are no longer in acute danger after a third victory in a row. Xabi Alonso’s men – and the wonderful Moussa Diaby, in particular – were too good for a Stuttgart side that will do well to survive any infighting at board level.

The Swabians are only a point ahead of a resurgent VfL Bochum, who won 1-0 in Augsburg. Ghanaian midfielder Christopher Antwi-Adjei scored the only goal in VfL’s first successful league outing this season.

It’s not quite time to dust off the old ‘Unrelegables’ moniker just yet but Thomas Letsch has brought hope back to the Ruhrstadion – just in time for the abnormally long Christmas break.

(Top photo: Tom Weller/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Magpes have been linked with a shock move for the defender.

Leeds United youngster Cody Drameh is said to be the subject of interest from Newcastle United and Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund.

The versatile England Under-21 international joined Los Blancos from Fulham last summer but spent the second half of the season on loan at Championship side Cardiff City. Drameh had a big impact with the Bluebirds and was named Young Player and Player of the Season ahead of his return to Elland Road.

Reflecting on his decision to go against the wishes of then-Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa by joining Cardiff on loan, Drameh told Wales Online: “It’s not a concern for me (before to return to Leeds), but at the time it affected me, I’m not going to lie. It affected me mentally.

“I’ve never been in the spotlight before, so seeing my name in a negative light, which wasn’t really before, affected me mentally. But I had to learn from it and try to come out of it, I think I did. I just saw it as a new challenge in Cardiff and a chance for me to grow and develop as a person.

Drameh had hoped to enjoy a breakthrough season with Jesse Marsch’s side as he looked to build on the momentum gained in Cardiff – but looked sideways after making just two starts in all competitions as the Whites boss retained his faith in Rasmus Kristensen and Luc Ayling.

The Daily Mail have now reported that Newcastle and Dortmund have been ‘alert’ to Drameh’s current situation and have suggested the Magpies could land the youngster to compete with England star Kieran Trippier.

Any decision would cast further doubt on Javier Manquillo, who had a disappointing performance in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup win over Crystal Palace. United’s other right-back option, Sweden international Emil Krafth, is making positive progress in his return from the cruciate ligament injury he suffered at Tranmere Rovers earlier this season.

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Köln FC will aim to find their way back to victory when they face Bayer Leverkusen Wednesday in the Bundesliga.

The visitors, meanwhile, moved out of the relegation grounds after stunning Union Berlin at week-end.

We say: FC Cologne 1-2 Bayer Leverkusen

We can envision Leverkusen building on their huge win over Union Berlin at the weekend with another victory.

Cologne look a little uncomfortable at the moment having seen their game tally compiled by numerous injuries, with the visitors no doubt possessing the attacking ability to punish them.

> Click here to read our full preview of this match

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© Reuters

In a repeat of last season’s DFB-Pokal final, RB Leipzig host Freiburg Wednesday in the Bundesliga.

The visitors have taken second place in the table after beating FC Cologne at the weekend, and they head into the encounter five points clear of their next opponents.

We say: RB Leipzig 2-1 Freiburg

It should be a very entertaining encounter between two in-form teams, but Leipzig look a class above the majority of teams in the division at the moment and should be able to pull off a huge win.

Nkunku continues to be one of the most impressive players in the Bundesliga and he will be keen to stay top of the Bundesliga goalscoring charts, although Gregoritsch is also enjoying his chances of scoring again.

> Click here to read our full preview of this match

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© Reuters

Union Berlin will look to keep their lofty ambitions in the top four as they host struggling FC Augsburg Wednesday at the Stadion An der Alten Forsterei.

Meanwhile, Enrico Maassen’s Augsburg are scrambling to avoid a relegation fight as they seek their first win in seven games.

We say: Union Berlin 2-2 Augsburg

Although there is a big gap between these two teams in terms of results this year, the potential for a goal fest is very high between Union and Augsburg.

The fluid counterattack of the Augsburg formation, including an in-form Mergim Berisha, the quickness of Jensen on the wings and the intelligence of Demirovic and Niederlechner, could all help exploit Union’s aggression.

Such a result for Augsburg depends on the Union players showing the same lethargy as at the weekend. The fixture list has been much more lenient at Augsburg, and they could prove a tough opponent for Fischer’s Union.

> Click here to read our full preview of this match

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© Reuters

Eintracht Frankfurt could enter the top four by beating Hoffenheim Wednesday in the Bundesliga.

The visitors, meanwhile, are in danger of falling to the bottom half of the table after failing to win their last three games.

We say: Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 Hoffenheim

We expect to see a fairly open encounter between two teams that like to attack, but Frankfurt are undoubtedly in better shape at the moment and should be able to claim another win.

Hoffenheim have clearly dipped in standards since returning from the international break in September, and the next World Cup could come at a good time for Breitenreiter’s side.

> Click here to read our full preview of this match

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© Reuters

Schalke 04 will aim to get off the table foot when they host Mainz 05 Wednesday in the Bundesliga.

The visitors, meanwhile, have lost back-to-back league games and they will be hoping this run ends in Gelsenkirchen.

We say: Schalke 04 1-1 Mainz 05

With Schalke facing Bayern in their final game before the World Cup, their losing streak must end on Wednesday if they are to avoid being locked in the automatic relegation spots even further.

Mainz have looked a bit uncomfortable in recent games and we can see them having to settle for a share of the spoils against their struggling opponents.

> Click here to read our full preview of this match

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Local bragging rights and valuable points are on the line as Jude Bellingham’s Borussia Dortmund take on Bochum in the other Revierderby on Saturday (kick-off: 3.30pm CET).

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Click here for the Dortmund vs Bochum LIVE blog!

Bellingham missed their first game of the season as manager Edin Terzic rested his midfield general in Wednesday’s 1-1 draw at Copenhagen in the UEFA Champions League. In the league, however, the 19-year-old has played every minute and scored three of Dortmund’s last seven goals in their wins over VfB Stuttgart and Eintracht Frankfurt. Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel and defender Mats Hummels were taken off at half-time in Denmark as a precaution, but both key players are expected to be fit as BVB take on their other local rivals. Terzic said during the weak game that the aim was to bring captain Marco Reus back for the weekend after an ankle problem. Raphael Guerreiro is also set to return and United States international Gio Reyna is in line for another start as fourth-placed Dortmund look to reduce their four-point deficit to Union Berlin.

The club’s top scorer of three this season, a cruciate ligament injury meant Simon Zoller played just 18 minutes of Bochum’s two meetings with Dortmund last season as VfL drew 1-1 at home and a dramatic 4-3 win at Signal. Iduna Park to confirm their safety and – in the absence of top-flight Schalke – claim supremacy in the Ruhr. And they could very well do with a similar result on Matchday 13. Bochum sit 17th in the table – one point above Schalke at their lowest and four from outright survival – having won only twice all season, coming in both home games so far under Thomas. Letsch. “It will be difficult to stay in the league like this,” the coach said following last weekend’s 4-0 loss at Wolfsburg. It was the third away game in a row where the so-called ‘Unrelegables’ scored four goals. Still, wholesale changes are not expected, so players like Zoller and Gerrit Holtmann could be on the bench again. Centre-back Erhan Masovic is rated touch and go to be fit over time.

Look: Jude Bellingham tactical analysis

Match statistics

• Reus have scored against 17 of the current 18 Bundesliga clubs, with Bochum being the exception.
• Kobel stopped 80% of shots on his goal, up from 67% last season.
• Dortmund are unbeaten in their last four home games, collecting 10 points from a possible 12.
• Philipp Hoffman has been directly involved in five of Bochum’s 11 goals in 2022/23, scoring three and providing two assists.
• Bochum’s nine defeats after 12 matches are as many as they have suffered throughout the 2021/22 Bundesliga campaign.
• VfL have lost seven consecutive away matches since beating Dortmund 4-3 on Matchday 32 of last season.

Get Bellingham for your Fantasy team for 14.4 million!

Probable teams

Dortmund: Kobel – Süle, Hummels (c), Schlotterbeck, Guerreiro – Özcan, Bellingham – Adeyemi, Brandt, Reyna – Moukoko
Out: Bynoe-Gittens (shoulder), Dahoud (shoulder), Haller (testicular cancer), Meunier (broken cheekbone), Morey (knee)
Doubtful: Reus (fitness), Rothe (knee)
Coach: Edin Terzic

Bohum: Riemann – Gamboa, Ordets, Heintz, Soares – Losilla (c), Stöger – Osei-Tutu, Förster, Antwi-Adjei – Hofmann
Out: Asano (knee), Goralski (muscular), Grave (shoulder)
Doubtful: Masovic (muscular), Mousset (fitness)
Coach: Thomas Letsch

Jude Bellingham helped ensure Borussia Dortmund already qualified for the UEFA Champions League round of 16, but on Wednesday they will look to end the group stage with a win over Viktor Claesson and Copenhagen (kick dispatch: 21:00 CET).

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Bellingham travels to Denmark and seems to be improving as the game progresses. The England midfielder was Dortmund’s hero again this weekend, earning a second-half winner in the 2-1 win at Eintracht Frankfurt. The 19-year-old has also excelled in Europe this season, with one of his four group stage goals coming in the opening matchday success against Copenhagen in Germany. Dortmund are guaranteed to finish second following their draw with Manchester City last week, so Edin Terzic could make some changes for this game. With €2.8m on offer for each group stage win – as well as a sizable injury list – he might not tinker too much. Julian Brandt had to be taken out against Eintracht so one of the players could be rested.

Claesson and Copenhagen have failed to score in the Champions League since the Swede found the net in the 2-1 home win against Turkish side Trabzonspor that took them to the group stage. This is one of the reasons why the Danes will want to end with a victory this week. Another is that despite being bottom of the group, they are still unbeaten at home having held both Manchester City and Sevilla to a scoreless draw in front of their own support. Copenhagen are sixth in the Danish Superliga and have a lot of ground to gain from the top two domestically. Midfielder Lukas Lerager and Ajax loanee Mohamed Daramy scored the goals in a weekend win at Randers, however, and both will likely feature as the home side aim for a better result in Europe than the 3-0 loss to Sevilla on matchday five. Denis Vavro could replace suspended defender Davit Khocholava.

Match statistics

• Bellingham have nine goals in all competitions this season. He has scored four goals in his last four matches for Dortmund.
• Gio Reyna had two assists in the teams’ first encounter, when Marco Reus, Raphael Guerreiro and Bellingham netted in a 3-0 win.
• Dortmund are undefeated against Danish teams. They had a win and a draw against Brondby in the 1993/94 UEFA Cup in the only other fixtures before that season.
• Sweden international Claesson has scored seven league goals this season, as well as one in Champions League qualifying.
• Copenhagen have never beaten Bundesliga opposition in UEFA competition in 11 attempts.
• The home side are hoping to avoid becoming the fourth team to go through a Champions League group stage without scoring a goal. Deportivo La Coruña (2004/05), Maccabi Haifa (2009/10) and Dinamo Zagreb (2016/17) have failed to do so in the past.

Probable teams

Copenhagen: Grabara – Jelert, Vavro, Lund Jensen, Kristiansen – Lerager, Clem, Claesson – Bardghji, Haraldsson, Daramy
Uncertain : –
Out: Khocholava (suspended)
Coach: Jacob Neestrup

Dortmund: Kobel – Süle, Hummels (c), Schlotterbeck – Adeyemi, Özcan, Bellingham, Hazard – Reyna, Moukoko, Malen
Out: Bynoe-Gittens (shoulder), Dahoud (shoulder), Guerreiro (thigh), Haller (testicular cancer), Meunier (broken cheekbone), Morey (knee), Reus (fitness)
Coach: Edin Terzic

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Mario Götze’s FIFA World Cup-winning goal for Germany in 2014 was the pinnacle of a career that began at Borussia Dortmund. bundesliga.com traces the man’s journey from Eintracht Frankfurt to BVB and the Bundesliga title at Bayern Munich and then back.

Get Götze for your Fantasy team for 9.6 million!

“We are very grateful to Mario’s father for coming from the Allgäu [region] Dortmund,” said Jürgen Klopp in 2010. The former BVB coach was one of the most grateful that university professor Jürgen Götze took a teaching job at Dortmund in 1997 when his son was not was only five years old.

Götze was born in southern Germany and even spent some of his early years in Houston, Texas, where his father worked at Rice University. Mario might even have donned an American shirt if the Götze family had stayed in the States longer – dream of those USMNT fans! – but a return to Europe was the first step in the making of a German national hero.

Look: Götze finds form with Eintracht Frankfurt

“Mario never had to look down like the other boys. He always knew what the ball was doing,” said Christian Droese, who witnessed Götze’s ball telepathy firsthand as a coach of FC Eintracht Hombruch. It was the local club in the family neighborhood of Dortmund, where eight-year-old Götze was so good he played with the U11s.

“On the court, it doesn’t matter how old you are,” Droese continued. “All that matters is if you can play. And Mario was simply the best.”

Götze hadn’t reached double figures for years when he was signed by Dortmund in 2001. In a very short time, he turned heads as he showed he had the attitude as well as the ability to have an impact at the top. From the game. “I’ve never seen anyone like Mario,” said youth team coach Peter Hyballa. “He’s so young and yet he’s playing…he’s grown so much already.”

The attacking midfielder won the Fritz Walter gold medal for Germany’s best young player in the U17 category in 2009, and by the time he won it again as an U18 the following year, he had already made his first-team debut for Dortmund. On 21 November 2009 – aged 17 years and five months – Götze entered the pitch in a goalless draw with Mainz, playing two of the top-flight 41 minutes he would accumulate that season.

Jürgen Klopp sent Götze on his debut for Borussia Dortmund against Mainz in November 2009. – imago sportfotodienst/imago sportfotodienst

Not many, admittedly, but more than most teenagers, who usually study for school leaving exams or worry about first job interviews at this age. Over the next 12 months, he drifted even further away from the usual preoccupations of his peers. It was the definition of a breakthrough season as he made 29 league starts and only missed one Bundesliga game.

Götze contributed six goals and 15 assists alongside Shinji Kagawa, Lucas Barrios and Robert Lewandowski as Dortmund won the title. He also made his UEFA Champions League debut, with Klopp proving to be the perfect boss to nurture and nurture his budding talent.

“He gave me what I needed in that moment and just trusted me. That’s the most important thing you need from a coach at the start – that he supports you at 100%,” Götze recently said of his former mentor and current Liverpool manager. “He helped me a lot to keep my feet on the ground. He handles everything off the pitch in a sensational way.”

On the pitch, Götze was equally exceptional, and he made his Germany debut aged just 18 years and five months in November 2010. “We’ve never had a talent like Mario,” said the former BVB star and Ballon d’Or winner Matthias Sammer. , who at the time was director of Dortmund’s youth academy.

But just when he seemed poised for string of successes, the 2011/12 season gave Götze and Dortmund fans a bitter taste of what was to come.

Götze (2nd from left) was part – along with Shnji Kagawa, Nuri Sahin, Felipe Santana and Robert Lewandowski – of a brilliant young Borussia Dortmund side that won the Bundesliga title in 2010/11. – Christof Koepsel/Bongarts/Getty Images

Although the team won back-to-back titles, Götze spent most of his time watching from the sidelines. A pelvic injury meant he made just 18 league appearances that season, and only three after halftime.

Götze’s issues helped Lewandowski emerge as a serious talent this campaign, and they paired up to good effect in the 2012/13 season. Götze scored a career-high 22 goals, including 10 goals, but Bayern walked away with the title that had belonged to Dortmund for two years.

They would soon do the same with Götze – and a year later with Lewandowski – with the pull of the club he backed as a boy proving too strong. “Mario was a huge Bayern Munich fan from the start,” Droese said. “He brought this with him from the south.”

Götze also had another motivation: “I would like to experience playing for [Pep] Guardiola. That doesn’t mean I’m troubled by anything at Dortmund. But I know very well that this is a chance that may not come again, and it’s a chance that I would like to take.”

Look: Götze was hard to stop during his first spell at BVB

His decision drew the ire of Dortmund fans, who were desperately upset to discover that the heart of a player they considered one of their own actually belonged to someone else. It was also on Götze’s mind three years later when – after adding three successive Bundesliga winners’ medals, two DFB Cups, a FIFA Club World Cup, a UEFA Super Cup and a FIFA World Cup to his collection – he returned to Signal Iduna Park.

The outrageous medal haul he brought home from his time in Bavaria did not blind observers to the fact that his time at the Allianz Arena was not all rosy. Along the way, he scored that unforgettable goal for Germany against Argentina in the 2014 World Cup final, but in his final season with Bayern – 2015/16 – he only played 14 league appearances under Guardiola due to an unfortunate combination of form and injury. But don’t tell the man himself it was a failure.

“My time at Bayern was absolutely not a mistake, because the experience I gathered there, the successes I celebrated there, with the World Cup, the cup victories etc… everything was like I wanted to,” Götze insisted. “It was a positive period.”

Both he and Dortmund hoped his comeback would be equally fruitful for both. But under a succession of coaches – Thomas Tuchel, Peter Bosz, Peter Stöger and Lucien Favre – he never reached the heights he had as a carefree teenager under Klopp.

Götze got his hands on the FIFA World Cup trophy after scoring an extra-time winner for Germany against Argentina in the 2014 final. – Martin Rose/Getty Images

Why not? “A lot of people still associate me with the 19-year-old I was when I first came here,” he explained. “But this time I had a different position, a different role.” He was even used by Tuchel as a defensive midfielder. “I think Thomas Tuchel is trying to take me to a high level – a new level,” Götze said. The experience didn’t last long, however, as the player’s body rebelled.

The reason for a succession of injuries that had hampered his development for several seasons and the cause of the poor form that did not do justice to his natural talent was finally identified in February 2017: a metabolic disorder.

“It’s a real blow,” said Germany’s 1990 FIFA World Cup-winning captain Lothar Matthäus. you have to evaluate your performance differently.”

“I am currently undergoing treatment and am doing everything to get back to training as soon as possible and help my team achieve our common goals,” Götze wrote. However, his optimism was not reflected in reality and his second spell at Dortmund came down to 13 goals in just 75 league appearances spread over four disappointing and frustrating seasons.

“Everyone knows what Götze can do,” Favre said of the 2019/20 season, Götze’s last with the 1997 European champions. “It’s tough for me and it’s tough for him. “

Götze featured in Dortmund’s successful 2016/17 DFB Cup campaign, but only in the second round when he scored in a penalty shoot-out win over Union Berlin. Later, he made just five league starts in his final year at the club in 2019/20.

“It’s completely normal that he wants to play and play and play. Then I think we’ll see the former Mario Götze again,” Klopp said of his former protege’s plight. “With the quality that Dortmund have at the moment, that is clearly not possible. It makes perfect sense for Mario to leave the club.”

For Götze – who scored 45 goals in 219 games in his two spells with Dortmund – it also made sense. “I’m a guy who trusts his feelings and makes his own decisions,” he said after announcing he would join Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven with his contract from Dortmund expiring in the summer of 2020. “I feel ready for a new challenge and I’m sure it will be a good change for me.”

Look: Götze scored for Eintracht in a win over Union

It turned out, rejuvenating Götze in two seasons in Dutch football, where the highlight was playing in a cup final win over Ajax in April 2022. The 30-year-old’s form in the Netherlands -Bas – where he scored 18 goals and as many assists in 77 games – opened the door to a return to Germany with Frankfurt in the summer of 2022.

Now everyone – probably even Dortmund fans – are hoping to see the ‘Super Mario’ who wowed the league as a teenager wearing the iconic black and yellow jersey.

BERLIN—

Borussia Dortmund’s 17-year-old striker Youssoufa Moukoko has reportedly been included in Germany’s preliminary World Cup squad.

Union Berlin midfielder Rani Khedira, Borussia Mönchengladbach defender Luca Netz and Werder Bremen striker Niclas Füllkrug – who is joint-top scorer in the Bundesliga with eight goals – were all on the preliminary list for the coach Hansi Flick, German tabloid Bild reported on Tuesday.

National team coaches had to submit their selection of up to 55 players by the October 21 deadline to secure their eligibility for the tournament, which begins on November 20. Players who do not make the preliminary selections will not feature in Qatar.

Moukoko has scored four goals and set up three more in 10 Bundesliga appearances for Dortmund so far this season. Khedira, the younger brother of 2014 World Cup winner Sami Khedira, started every Bundesliga game for Union and surprisingly helped the lowly club lead the table. Netz, 19, is seen as a good prospect for the future.

There have been calls for Flick to include Füllkrug in the final squad as the Bremen striker’s strong physical presence creates opportunities for his teammates. Füllkrug, 29, has eight goals and three assists in the Bundesliga so far.

Bild only reported 44 names. It was unclear if Flick had included more. The German coach is due to announce his final 26-man squad on November 10 and did not want his initial selection released.

Germany will play their final World Cup warm-up game against Oman on November 16. The four-time champion was drawn in Group E and will face Japan on November 23, Spain on November 27 and Costa Rica on December 1.

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