Mario Gómez

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Mario Gómez
Mario Gómez, Germany national football team (07).jpg
Gómez with Germany in 2011.
Personal information
Full name Mario Gómez García
Date of birth (1985-07-10) 10 July 1985 (age 27)
Place of birth Riedlingen, West Germany
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position Striker
Club information
Current club Bayern Munich
Number 33
Youth career
SV Unlingen
FV Bad Saulgau
1999–2001 SSV Ulm 1846
2001–2003 VfB Stuttgart
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2003–2005 VfB Stuttgart II 43 (21)
2003–2009 VfB Stuttgart 121 (63)
2009– Bayern Munich 115 (75)
National team‡
2005–2006 Germany U21 9 (1)
2005 Germany B 2 (1)
2007– Germany[1] 58 (25)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20:50, 18 May 2013 (UTC).

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 20:27, 6 February 2013 (UTC)
This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Gómez and the second or maternal family name is García.

Mario Gómez García (German pronunciation: [ˈmaːʁioː ˈɡɔmɛs]; born 10 July 1985) is a German footballer who plays as a striker for Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga and the German national team. Gómez joined Bayern after six years in Stuttgart. The fee was a record for a player transferred in the Bundesliga, estimated to be €30–35 million, surpassing previous holder Márcio Amoroso. The fee currently the second, after Bayern team-mate Javi Martinez. When Stuttgart became champions in 2006–07, Gómez contributed 14 goals and 7 assists at the age of 21 and was selected German footballer of the year.

Contents

Personal life [edit]

Gómez was born in Riedlingen. He was raised in nearby Unlingen, an Upper Swabian village in the state of Baden-Württemberg in southwestern Germany about 100 km south of Stuttgart and 175 km west of Munich. Gómez is of German-Spanish descent (his father, Pepe Gómez, is Spanish from Albuñán, Granada and his mother, Christel Roth, is German). He has both German and Spanish citizenship and decided to play for the German national team. His first appearance for the team was in February 2007 against Switzerland and he has been called up regularly since.

Gómez is notable as being outspoken about social matters. For example regarding homosexuality in football he has stated that he believes gay players should be open about their sexuality and thinks that "they would play as if they had been liberated".[2] He also stated on 1 October 2012 that he would like a "radical rethink" about homosexuality in football.[2]

Gómez ended his nine-year relationship with Silvia Meichel on 2 October 2012.[3]

Club career [edit]

Stuttgart [edit]

Gómez celebrates winning the Bundesliga with VfB Stuttgart in 2007

In 2004, Gómez played 10 minutes for VfB Stuttgart in the Champions League in a game against Chelsea on 9 March and made his debut in the Bundesliga on 8 May.

In the 2004–05 season, playing for VfB Stuttgart's team in the Regionalliga Süd (Regional League South, then part of the third tier of German football after the national team and the Bundesliga), he scored 15 times in 24 games and was to be capped eight times in the first team.

In the 2005–06 season, Gómez joined the first team permanently. He played 30 times in the Bundesliga, scoring six times at this level, his first goal coming on 17 September 2005. The striker also played five times in the UEFA Cup, scoring twice, and in three times in the DFB-Pokal.

In the 2006–07 season the youngster established himself as one of the top scorers in the Bundesliga. However, he broke his hand on 10 March 2007 and suffered a torn ligament in his left knee. He made his comeback on 12 May 2007, and immediately scored after coming on from the bench. In that game, VfB Stuttgart defeated VfL Bochum (3–2) and went two points clear heading into the Bundesliga's final weekend where they won at home against Energie Cottbus, thus becoming German champions. Furthermore, VfB Stuttgart also reached final of the DFB-Pokal, where Gómez participated, but VfB Stuttgart lost to 1. FC Nuremberg. After the season, he was named German Footballer of the Year for 2007. Gómez extended his contract at VfB Stuttgart until 2012.

While, in the 2007–08 season, the rest of his team struggled to keep performing at their 2006–07 season standards, Gómez remained at an astonishingly high level, scoring 19 goals in 25 appearances, second in the Bundesliga's Top Scorer list, just behind Bayern Munich's Luca Toni who scored 24 times. In the cup Gómez was even the top scorer with six goals.[4] Because of his development, many big clubs became interested in the then 23 year old forward. Gómez gained the nickname "Mr. Zuverlässig" ("Mr. Reliable"), as seen in his second of three goals against Bundesliga rival Werder Bremen (final score 6–3), where he managed to net in a virtually unreachable pass by teammate Yıldıray Baştürk. In the 2008–09 season Gómez hit four goals to inspire VfB Stuttgart to a 4–1 victory over Bundesliga leaders VfL Wolfsburg.

Bayern Munich [edit]

2009–10 season [edit]

On 26 May 2009, Gómez was eventually transferred to Bayern Munich on a Bundesliga record transfer fee, signing a four-year contract. The amount of the transfer fee varies from 30–35 million euro, depending on different sources.[5][6][7] Gómez was not scoring like his usual self in his first season for Bayern with just 10 goals but in the cup he was more prolific with 3 goals in just four games, unfortunately Gómez was short of assists as well as goals. Quite surprisingly he made an impact as he was to start the majority of games next season for Bayern. Also in his first season Gómez was teamed up with his international strike partner Miroslav Klose to give him some first team experience.

2010–11 season [edit]

After an erratic first season at Bayern with 10 goals in 29 league appearances,[8] Gómez established himself as a starter during the 2010–11 season (to an extent at the expense of Miroslav Klose and due to the injury sustained by Ivica Olić) and finished as top goalscorer in the Bundesliga with 28 goals.[9] He scored his 100th Bundesliga goal with his third strike in a 1–8 away victory over FC St. Pauli on 7 May 2011,[10] the hat-trick already being his fifth in the Bundesliga in the 2010–11 season, and his sixth overall, adding in his hat-trick against Cluj in the Champions League. Gómez has scored 13 hat-tricks in his Bundesliga career, three with Stuttgart and ten with Bayern. Gómez also netted eight times in the Champions League and finished in second place in this season's top scorers, tied with Samuel Eto'o,[11] although Bayern were eliminated in the Round of 16 by Internazionale. Gómez overall in all competitions scored 39 goals.[12]

2011–12 season [edit]

Gómez after Bayern Munich's defeat against Chelsea in the 2012 UEFA Champions League Final

Gómez started the 2011–12 season in similar style towards the previous season and he opened his league account on 20 August 2011 in Bayern's thrashing of Hamburger SV. Seven days later Gómez scored a hat-trick away to 1. FC Kaiserslautern. On 10 September, Gómez then netted four goals in Bayern Munich's 7–0 rout of Freiburg, sealing four straight wins for the Bavarians and a return to the top of the Bundesliga table. On 27 September, the striker netted two first half goals as Bayern defeated Manchester City 2–0 in the group stages of the Champions League, a game infamously remembered for which City striker Carlos Tévez reportedly refused to play.[13]

Gómez scored his second brace of the Bundesliga campaign against Hertha BSC when Bayern won 4–0. Gómez then got another brace on 29 October when Bayern then defeated 1. FC Nuremberg 4–0. Then on 11 December 2011, he scored his third brace of the season and sealed Bayern's 2–1 win over southern rivals Stuttgart.[14] On 2 November 2011, he netted a hat-trick in a Champions League group stage game against Serie A club S.S.C. Napoli. Bayern went on to win 3–2. In the DFB-Pokal Gómez scored just two goals. On 16 December 2011, Gómez scored his 50th goal for the calendar year of 2011 against 1. FC Köln.

On 13 March 2012, the second leg of their Champions League tie against FC Basel; the match saw the Bavarians overturn their 1–0 away loss as Gómez netted four of Bayern's seven goals, firing the Bavarians through to the quarter-finals 7–1 on aggregate.[15] In the quarter-finals, Bayern faced Ligue 1 side Marseille and in the first-leg on 28 March,[16] Gómez fired in his 11th Champions League goal of the campaign in a 2–0 win for the Bavarians.[17]

On 4 April, Gómez signed a new contract with Bayern Munich, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2016.[18][19] Gómez scored the winning goal in Bayern's 2–1 victory over Real Madrid in the first leg of their semi-final clash,[20] Bayern went on to win the tie 3–1[21] on penalties after the teams were deadlocked 3–3 on aggregate.[22] On 19 May 2012, he played in the match against Chelsea. He did not find the net in regular time in the game but scored in the penalty shoot-out.

2012–13 season [edit]

Gómez came back late to the squad, after having ankle surgery post Euro 2012. Over the summer, Bayern had signed Croatian striker Mario Mandžukić from VfL Wolfsburg, who taking over the role that Gómez had had while he recovered from his surgery, hit a run of form that made him the Bundesliga's top scorer. Since the winter break, Gómez has spent more time on the bench than playing, as Mandžukić continues his rich vein of form. On 16 April 2013, in the DFB-Pokal semi-final against VfL Wolfsburg, Gomez scored a hat-trick after being subbed on in the 77th minute. The hat-trick was completed in six minutes.

International career [edit]

Gómez playing for Germany in 2011

Gómez has both German and Spanish citizenship, but played for all German youth national teams from age 17. He made his debut for the German national team against Switzerland on 7 February 2007. Germany won the match 3–1, with Gómez scoring Germany's second goal. Gómez gained his second cap for Germany, coming on as a substitute for Kevin Kurányi in a Euro 2008 qualifier against San Marino, scoring two goals that contributed to a final 6–0 victory.

Euro 2008 [edit]

After Gómez impressed in pre-tournament friendlies, Joachim Löw called him up to the German squad for Euro 2008. Löw broke up the strike partnership of Lukas Podolski and Miroslav Klose with Podolski moving out to the left wing at the expense of talismanic midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger and Gómez partnering Klose up front. Unfortunately, he was not able to reproduce his club form and missed several clear-cut chances including a crucial one in the last group match against Austria. Germany eventually won courtesy of a Michael Ballack free kick to seal a place in the knock-out stages but Löw dropped Gómez to the bench and reverted back to the Podolski-Klose partnership. He was an unused substitute in the quarterfinal and semifinal and later came off the bench in the final of Euro 2008 for Miroslav Klose but could not prevent Germany from losing 1–0 to Spain.

World Cup 2010 [edit]

In a friendly match against the United Arab Emirates played on 2 June 2009, Gómez netted four goals, ending his 15-game goal drought for the national team,[23] in Germany's 7–2 thrashing.

Gómez was named as one of the six strikers in Joachim Löw's 23-man squad for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. He featured in four out of seven German matches at the World Cup, all from the substitutes bench, against Australia, replacing Mesut Özil in the 73rd minute, Serbia, coming on for left back Holger Badstuber in the 77th minute, England, coming on for fellow forward Miroslav Klose in the 72nd minute and Spain replacing defensive midfielder Sami Khedira on 80 minutes. Again he did not score a goal at a major tournament.

Euro 2012 [edit]

Gómez surrounded by Austrian defenders in a UEFA Euro 2012 qualification match

Although being the second choice behind Miroslav Klose as center-forward during Germany's qualification for Euro 2012, Gómez played regularly and contributed goals against every opponent of that campaign: Kazakhstan, Austria, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Belgium. This includes two goals against Austria in Germany's 2–1 away win in the Ernst-Happel-Stadion, netting into the very same goal in which despite good goalscoring opportunities he couldn't score three years earlier during Euro 2008, a performance for which he was criticized by the German media and many fans of the Mannschaft. Observers saw him overcome a little trauma and in a spontaneous gesture of relief, he kissed the goalpost after he scored the first goal.[24]

Prior to the Euro 2012 in a 3–3 draw against Ukraine in the opening game at the renovated Olympic Stadion of Kiev – the site of the Euro 2012 final match – Gómez captained Germany for the first time. It was his 50th international cap, and aged 26, he was Germany's oldest player in the starting lineup.[25]

Gómez scored the only, and winning, goal against Portugal in their Euro 2012 starting match in Poland-Ukraine.[26] He then scored twice against the Netherlands in Germany's second group B match, making it three goals in two games.[27] In the end he became second best scorer of the tournament behind Fernando Torres. Both had three goals and one assist, however, Torres became top scorer of the tournament because of having played fewer minutes than Gómez.

Style of play [edit]

Gómez can shoot with both feet, and is considered to be an aerial threat. His best ability however remains his ability to anticipate crosses and passes, and position himself to shoot. Arsène Wenger described him as "a great finisher who is often in the right place to finish off moves."[28] Moreover, his body balance and ability to hold up the ball often creates trouble for defenders. During his time at Bayern, his ability to appear "at the right place at the right time" proved to be one of Bayern's most lethal attacking weapons as Ribéry and Robben can often outrun defenders and provide a cross for Gómez.

Career statistics [edit]

Club statistics [edit]

Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
Club League Season Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Germany League DFB-Pokal DFB-Ligapokal Europe Other1 Total
VfB Stuttgart Bundesliga 2003–04 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 — 2 0
VfB Stuttgart II Regionalliga Süd 19 6 0 0 — — 19 6
VfB Stuttgart Bundesliga 2004–05 8 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 10 0
VfB Stuttgart II Regionalliga Süd 24 15 0 0 — — 24 15
VfB Stuttgart Bundesliga 2005–06 30 6 0 0 3 0 5 2 38 8
2006–07 25 14 5 2 — — 30 16
2007–08 25 19 3 6 0 0 4 3 32 28
2008–09 32 24 2 3 — 10 8 44 35
Bayern Munich 2009–10 29 10 4 3 12 1 45 14
2010–11 32 28 5 3 8 8 0 0 45 39
2011–12 33 26 5 2 14 13 — 52 41
2012–13 21 11 3 4 6 2 0 0 30 17
VfB Stuttgart II 43 21 0 0 — — — 43 21
VfB Stuttgart 121 63 11 11 3 0 21 13 — 156 87
Bayern Munich 115 75 17 12 — 40 24 0 0 172 111
Career statistics 279 159 28 23 3 0 61 37 0 0 371 219
Last update: 18 May 2013[29]

International goals [edit]

Scores and results table. Germany's goal tally first:
Goal Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 7 February 2007 LTU Arena, Düsseldorf, Germany  Switzerland 2–0 3–1 Friendly
2. 2 June 2007 Frankenstadion, Nuremberg, Germany  San Marino 4–0 6–0 UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying
3. 5–0
4. 6 February 2008 Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria  Austria 3–0 3–0 Friendly
5. 26 March 2008 St. Jakob-Park, Basel, Switzerland  Switzerland 2–0 4–0 Friendly
6. 3–0
7. 2 June 2009 Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates  United Arab Emirates 2–0 7–2 Friendly
8. 4–0
9. 5–0
10. 7–2
11. 5 September 2009 BayArena, Leverkusen, Germany  South Africa 1–0 2–0 Friendly
12. 29 May 2010 Stadium Puskás Ferenc, Budapest, Hungary  Hungary 2–0 3–0 Friendly
13. 11 August 2010 Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark  Denmark 1–0 2–2 Friendly
14. 12 October 2010 Astana Arena, Astana, Kazakhstan  Kazakhstan 2–0 3–0 UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
15. 29 March 2011 Borussia-Park, Mönchengladbach, Germany  Australia 1–0 1–2 Friendly
16. 29 May 2011 Rhein-Neckar-Arena, Sinsheim, Germany  Uruguay 1–0 2–1 Friendly
17. 3 June 2011 Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria  Austria 1–0 2–1 UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
18. 2–1
19. 7 June 2011 Tofiq Bahramov Stadium, Baku, Azerbaijan  Azerbaijan 2–0 3–1 UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
20. 7 October 2011 Turk Telekom Arena, Istanbul, Turkey  Turkey 1–0 3–1 UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
21. 11 October 2011 Esprit Arena, Düsseldorf, Germany  Belgium 3–0 3–1 UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
22. 31 May 2012 Zentralstadion, Leipzig, Germany  Israel 1–0 2–0 Friendly
23. 9 June 2012 Arena Lviv, Lviv, Ukraine  Portugal 1–0 1–0 UEFA Euro 2012
24. 13 June 2012 Metalist Stadium, Kharkiv, Ukraine  Netherlands 1–0 2–1 UEFA Euro 2012
25. 2–0

Honours [edit]

Club [edit]

Stuttgart
Bayern Munich

National team [edit]

Germany

Individual [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ "The Team". DFB. Retrieved 15 May 2011. 
  2. ^ a b Connolly, Kate (11 November 2010). "Germany and Bayern star Mario Gomez urges gay footballers to go public". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 November 2011. 
  3. ^ "Mario Gomez: Trennung von seiner Jugendliebe Silvia - FC Bayern" [Mario Gomez: Separated from his childhood sweetheart Silvia - FC Bayern] (in German). Bild.de. 28 November 2012. Retrieved 7 December 2012. 
  4. ^ "DFB Pokal 2007/08 Top Scorers". weltfussball.de (in German). June 2008. Retrieved 19 August 2008. 
  5. ^ Grohmann, Karolos (26 May 2009). "Stuttgart's Gomez joins Bayern Munich". Reuters. Retrieved 15 June 2009. 
  6. ^ "Gomez wechselt zu Bayern – Interesse an Neuer". Die Welt (in German). 26 May 2009. Retrieved 28 May 2009. 
  7. ^ Krass, Sebastian (21 July 2009). "Mann unter besonderer Beobachtung". Financial Times Deutschland (in German). Retrieved 9 August 2009. 
  8. ^ "Gomez, Mario" (in German). kicker.de. Retrieved 16 March 2012. 
  9. ^ "1. Bundesliga – Torjäger" (in German). kicker.de. Retrieved 16 March 2012. 
  10. ^ "Facts and stats from the St Pauli clash". FC Bayern Munich. 7 May 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2012. 
  11. ^ "Top scorer Messi matches Van Nistelrooy mark". UEFA.com. 28 May 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2012. 
  12. ^ Corradino, Rafael (30 May 2011). "Mario Gomez: I will always offer my services to Germany". goal.com. Retrieved 16 March 2012. 
  13. ^ Lawton, Matt (28 September 2011). "Bayern Munich 2 Manchester City 0: Tevez strikes as City slump". dailymail.co.uk. Retrieved 17 May 2012. 
  14. ^ "Stuttgart 1–2 Bayern Munich: Gomez nets double to see off stubborn 10-man hosts". goal.com. 11 December 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2012. 
  15. ^ "Bayern Munich 7 Basel 0 (agg 7–1): Blitz in Bavaria as Gomez nets four". dailymail.co.uk. 14 March 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2012. 
  16. ^ "Robben stars as Bayern triumph at Marseille". UEFA.com. 28 March 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2012. 
  17. ^ "Bayern take big step towards semi-finals". ESPN Soccernet. 28 March 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2012. 
  18. ^ "Mario Gomez signs new Bayern Munich deal". Goal.com. 4 April 2012. Retrieved 4 April 2012. 
  19. ^ "Gomez pens new Bayern deal". ESPN Soccernet. 4 April 2012. Retrieved 8 April 2012. 
  20. ^ "Last-gasp Gomez gives Bayern edge over Madrid". UEFA.com. 17 April 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2012. 
  21. ^ Lowe, Sid (25 April 2012). "Bayern Munich hold nerve to beat Real Madrid on penalties in semi". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 May 2012. 
  22. ^ Dawkes, Phil (25 April 2012). "Bayern Munich will face Chelsea in the Champions League final after beating Real Madrid in a penalty shoot-out following an engrossing semi-final.". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 May 2012. 
  23. ^ "Gomez ist wieder da – Neuer überzeugt voll und ganz". kicker (in German). 2 June 2009. Retrieved 14 October 2011. 
  24. ^ "Gomez überwindet Trauma" (in German). n-tv. 3 June 2011. Retrieved 12 October 2011. 
  25. ^ "Kapitänsbinde macht Gomez stolz" (in German). n-tv. 13 November 2011. Retrieved 14 November 2011. 
  26. ^ "Germany 1–0 Portugal". BBC. 9 June 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2012. 
  27. ^ "Gomez gives Germany 2–1 win over Netherlands". 14 June 2012. 
  28. ^ "Champions League – Arsene Wenger: Gomez key to Bayern hopes". Yahoo! UK & Ireland. 17 April 2012. Retrieved 20 June 2012. 
  29. ^ "Mario Gomez > Club Matches". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 14 May 2011. 

External links [edit]

FC Bayern Munich – current squad
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