If you watched the World Cup Final in 2014, you are obviously very familiar with the German who stopped Messi from winning the ultimate honor and broke the hearts of so many Argentinians with an beautiful volley in extra time. The midfielder was just 22 when he came on as a substitute in Rio de Janeiro, and it seemed that a spectacular career had just been set in motion. But Gotze has suffered a spectacular plunge from glory since then. Poor form after an injury and then a debilitating metabolic disease led to him being left out of the Germany squad for the World Cup in Russia. * In my opinion, this upcoming season will see Gotze revamp his career and be the star and leader Dortmund need him to be as they look to close the gap between them and Bayern Munich this season.

Don’t forget, if Gotze is on the ball, something happens. I still rate him very favorably while in form. He has a high game intelligence and sees spaces that others don’t. He can handle the ball more clinically than many at the highest level. • Gotze has both the ability to put through crucial passes for his teammates and be a dangerous scoring force in the same breath. He has everything that distinguishes a top player and while not too fast or strong, his technique can more than make up for it. He's more of a dribbler than an outright winger, but still manages a cross with class if such a ball is needed. All this praise should serve to prove that if Gotze is able to get a better understanding of his teammates and their movement this year, he will lead a side that can easily tear defenses to shreds. * I believe this upcoming season will be the year Gotze redefines his career and, if he’s able to stay healthy, lead Dortmund to success in many of the trophy campaigns they will compete in. The German is not quite done making his mark just yet.