But after his strong rise to the top of the football world, he was never able to live up to expectations, and at 28, Gotze was able to make his PSV Eindhoven debut against PEC Zwolle on Sunday, while he wants a new start
After spending most of the first half of 2020 on the bench for Borussia Dortmund, his contract quietly ran out There was little buzz around the attacking midfielder once he became a free agent
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Most of the top European clubs did not seriously consider acquiring Gotze’s services during the summer and it took him until last week to secure a new club as he signed a contract of two years with PSV
Gotze’s downfall in recent years was caused by a mixture of bad luck and astronomical expectations When he scored the winner of Germany against Argentina in the 2014 World Cup final, he had the world at his feet
Germany head coach Joachim Low told him he should show the world that he ‘is better than Messi’ before sending him onto the pitch against Argentina At this point , Gotze was already an established name in European football
His transfer from Dortmund – where he had gone through the academy – to Bayern Munich, announced a few weeks before the two sides met in the 2013 Champions League final, made headlines all over the world. world The German « wunderkind » left a German power to join an even greater one
Once at Bayern Gotze never lived up to expectations He showcased his exceptional skills from time to time, but never became a leader or an actor in his own right
Gotze made his first attempt to relaunch his career upon returning to Dortmund in 2016, though injuries and a prolonged metabolic disorder interfered with his plans
He made 103 appearances and scored 14 goals in four years before Dortmund gave up their ‘talent of the century’ this summer and offered him a new contract
At the start of the summer transfer window, the five-time Bundesliga winner was a free agent for the first time in his career He had to train alone while waiting for a call from a big club, which never came
Gotze told media in September: « I desperately want to win the Champions League once This is what drives me every day, every training session I don’t want to end my career without this title »
He hired Fali Ramadani as a new agent halfway through the transfer window, hoping the savvy negotiator could help him find a team The interest of a Major League Soccer team and a few Bundesliga clubs including Hertha Berlin, FC Cologne and Bayer Leverkusen has been confirmed
While Gotze initially believed he could secure a contract that would earn him close to the € 10million annual salary he earned at Dortmund, he must have realized that he was no longer considered a player. premium
When Gotze spoke to managers like Bruno Labbadia de Hertha, they raised questions about his fitness Labbadia was convinced Gotze could go back to being his old self, but only if he invested a lot of time in the field training
PSV Eindhoven manager Roger Schmidt contacted him eight weeks ago, initially thinking there was only a slim chance Gotze would want to join
Schmidt told him he could rediscover his love for football in the relaxed environment of Eindhoven – an idea Gotze seems to have embraced
« You would expect someone like Gotze to play for a big club in a big football country, » Bayer Leverkusen manager Peter Bosz told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf « PSV may be a big club, but in a small football country »
Some have interpreted the move as Gotze’s attempt to leave the past behind and make a fresh start at PSV, one of the Eredivisie’s dominant clubs
« PSV is the complete package The fans and the club with their ambitions have made a difference, » Gotze said after his signing was announced
There is certainly a realistic scenario in which Gotze will thrive against the opposition in the Eredivisie However, it may take some time to adjust to the fast pace of the Dutch-style 4-2-4 from PSV, as the 63-cap German international has struggled with a lack of explosiveness in recent years
« He has a knack for making his teammates around him better, » Schmidt said. « But it’s important that we can get him in his best shape and that he can be the best of himself » Sign with PSV is a bet for Gotze, because if he cannot succeed at this club, his career at the highest level is over
Given Gotze’s struggles in recent years, it might be better for him to be in the Netherlands rather than in the limelight in Germany or England He has to put aside his plans to win the Champions League as PSV only play in the Europa League this year, but the Dutch club could be the right place for the former German prodigy to enjoy the game again.
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