Scoring the winning goal in the World Cup final in 2014 should have been the start of something special for Mario Gotze but injuries have slowed his career right down. Now the Borussia Dortmund midfielder has picked up another.
Coming on as a sub in a World Cup final and scoring the winner in extra time as your country's forgotten man could be the end of a pretty average football film, or the next in the Goal series which are clearly the greatest films ever made.
But instead it was Mario Gotze's actual moment of brilliance. But since then his career has been blighted by injuries, as well as being a bit part player for most of the time he and Pep Guardiola were at Bayern Munich together.
Gotze scores the most important goal he will ever score. Image: PA Images
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His time at the Allianz Arena came at the end of the 2016/17 season, a season in which he lost a run of 17 games in the middle of the season because of a hamstring injury.
Last season, back at Dortmund, his issues continued and he missed another 18 games through illness, only coming back for pre-season. This term he has already missed six games through niggly injuries.
Now Gotze will be sat on the sidelines for the next six weeks because of an injury sustained in the dramatic 4-4 draw with Schalke on the weekend.
The six week period means Gotze will miss the Champions League game against Real Madrid, as well as the German Cup game against Bayern Munich, but the Bundesliga does at least take a winter break.
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Dortmund scored four goals between the 13th minute and 25th minute at the weekend and took a 4-0 lead into the half-time break, with Gotze on the score sheet.
Gotze celebrates his goal on the weekend. Image: PA
Schalke though completed a dramatic second half comeback in the 94th minute, with Naldo scoring their equaliser, with Dortmund down to 10 men after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had been sent off.
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Gotze once again now has to concentrate on getting fit.
Featured Image Credit:Topics:Β Borussia Dortmund, Germany
