Mario Götze Reflects: "It Was a Mistake to Leave Dortmund for Bayern"
Former German international Mario Götze, who scored the winning goal for Germany in the 2014 World Cup final against Argentina, admits in a letter to "his 17-year-old self," included in a book by journalist Michael Horeni, that it was a mistake to leave Borussia Dortmund in 2013 to join Bayern Munich.
"I know you won't think much of it if I tell you to stay longer at Dortmund, which would be good for you and your development. I didn't pay attention to that advice either," Götze writes in the letter published this Wednesday by the weekly "Die Zeit" as part of Horeni's book.
"You only see yourself, your career. You haven't experienced resistance or failures. Everything has gone well, always well. You lack perspective," he adds.
Götze also recalls the reasons that led him to make the decision he now views as wrong.
"I was blinded. I was ambitious. We had won the Bundesliga twice and the double once. But that didn’t change anything. The transfer was already in my head. I don't know who could have convinced me to change my decision," he states.
The offer from Bayern was further enhanced by the announcement that Pep Guardiola would take over as coach at the Bavarian club the following season.
"I loved the football of Barcelona. It was the football I wanted to play. With Pep," he asserts.
Götze's departure from Bayern marked the farewell to Jürgen Klopp, who had been his coach and mentor at Dortmund.
"I thought all coaches would be like Jürgen," he reflects.
Götze moved to Bayern for the 2013/2014 season, taking advantage of a release clause in his contract.
His transfer to Bayern became the top sports news in Germany just before Dortmund played the Champions League final against the Bavarian club.
Götze returned to Dortmund in 2016 and, after a stint at PSV Eindhoven, now plays for Eintracht Frankfurt.