bundesliga

Nuri Şahin and Mario Götze reunited as Borussia Dortmund face Eintracht Frankfurt

23.08.2024

On the opening weekend of the 2024/25 Bundesliga campaign, two former teammates will reunite, only this time as rivals. New Borussia Dortmund head coach Nuri Şahin last played with Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Mario Götze six years ago, and both will be eager to kick off their respective seasons in the best possible fashion…

When Jürgen Klopp joined Dortmund in 2008, Şahin was already a seasoned professional despite being just 19. The future Turkey international had amade BVB and Bundesliga history by becoming the division’s youngest-ever player at the age of 16 years and 335 days and, after a spell on loan at Feyenoord in 2007/08, was about embark on his fourth senior season.

In contrast, Götze was still a part of the club’s U17 squad, although there was hope that he would evolve into a key player at Signal Iduna Park. As Klopp got to grips with a Dortmund outfit that had fallen on hard times, including potential relegation to the second tier, Dortmund’s boy wonder continued to develop, helping Die Schwarzgelben’s U19s win the Bundesliga in 2009 after lifting the U17 title 12 months prior.

Once Götze and the Germany U17s had been crowned European champions, Klopp could no longer ignore him, and the youngster subsequently featured five times in the second half of the 2009/10 term. By that point, Şahin was a crucial performer in the middle of Dortmund’s midfield as the Ruhr outfit’s resurgence started to gather pace.

Şahin made his Bundesliga debut at the age of just 16 years and 355 days, a record at the time. - Imago

Few knew it at the time, but a perfect storm was brewing and, with Götze now a fully fledged member of the first-team squad, he and Şahin struck up a partnership that would contribute to an unforgettable season. The duo racked up 23 Bundesliga assists between them in 2010/11 as Dortmund became the youngest side, on average, to finish at the table’s summit.

“Winning the title in my first year with Dortmund was really special, also with Jürgen, the fans and the team. Nobody had believed in us or believed it possible,” Götze, whose displays earned him Bundesliga Young Player of the Year award, recently told bundesliga.com.

Soon, though, young Mario and Nuri would go their separate ways, with the latter joining Real Madrid that summer. Meanwhile, the former initially went from strength to strength at Dortmund, adding a second Meisterschale in 2011/12 but, just one year later, he too was on the move as he switched to Bayern Munich after the Bavarians had got the better of BVB in the first all-German UEFA Champions League final.

Şahin (l.) and Mario Götze (r.) played key roles in Dortmund's 2010/11 Bundesliga success. - imago sportfotodienst

Götze did score the goal that won Germany the 2014 FIFA World Cup, but it soon became apparent that the grass was not greener away from Dortmund for both players. While Şahin was back at Dortmund, via a short spell at Liverpool, in 2013 after struggling with injuries, his fellow ex-prodigy joined him three years after. The duo were unable to match their previous achievements, but did get their hands on silverware as they lifted the 2016/17 DFB Cup together.

Following late career moves to Werder Bremen and Antalyaspor, Şahin has moved into management and has been given the reigns at his boyhood club following Edin Terzić’s departure. With Dortmund narrowly missing out on Bundesliga and Champions League glory in each of the past two campaigns, there is hope that his tactical nous and strong relationship with the supporters can finally see them over the line.

And, as he prepares to make his Bundesliga coaching bow, he will be drawing on his previous experiences at Dortmund in his quest for success.

Watch: Götze reminisces about Bundesliga debut

“There are many images that will always stay with me. I've experienced the lowest lows with Borussia Dortmund and the highest highs,” he explained to bundesliga.com.

“I hope that many stories will be added. As Jürgen always said, we collect stories, we collect experiences, and this is our shared story. I hope that many things will come together that we will remember for years to come and I am extremely looking forward to that.”

At Frankfurt, Götze finds himself as part of a similarly young squad to the one he started his career in. Only now, at the age of 32, he is one of the elder statesmen and is tasked with setting an example for a group that secured UEFA Europa League qualification in Dino Toppmöller’s first term at the helm.

Şahin will be hoping his Dortmund team gets off to the best possible start in 2024/25. - IMAGO/Eibner-Pressefoto/Marcel von Fehrn

There were some inconsistencies along the way, though, and Götze is aware that needs to be addressed if the Eagles are to make a step up this season.

“Even if you look at last year, just trying to be consistent week in and week out, especially with the Europa League and midweek matches, we need to consistently deliver strong performances and get results,” he said. I think that’s the step we need to take to say we’ve reached the next level.”

A trip to his old stomping ground on Matchday 1 will be a “tough match”, Götze admits, but it will at least give him the chance to catch up with some old friends. Seeing his one-time partner-in-crime in the dugout will be a reminder of how far both have come and, although the focus is on the future, their shared past is one to be proud of.