| Name |
Mario Gomez |
| Height |
6 ft 2 in |
| Naionality |
German |
| Date of Birth |
10-July-1985 |
| Place of Birth |
Riedlingen, West Germany |
| Famous for |
Football Player |
Mario Gomez is a German footballer who plays as a striker for Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga and the German national team. Gomez 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. When Stuttgart became champions in 2006–07, Gomez contributed 14 goals and 7 assists at the age of 21 and was selected German footballer of the year.
In 2004, Gomez 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 (national league) on 8 May. In the 2004–05 season, playing for VfB Stuttgart's team in the Regionalliga Sud (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 seasons, Gomez 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. Gomez 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 Gomez scoring Germany's second goal. Gomez gained his second cap for Germany, coming on as a substitute for Kevin Kuranyi in a Euro 2008 qualifier against San Marino, scoring two goals that contributed to a final 6–0 victory. Gomez 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. Arsene Wenger described him as "a great finisher who is often in the right place to finish off moves." 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 Ribery and Robben can often outrun defenders and provide a cross for Gomez.
